Excitement, kudos as promotion galore sweeps across FRSC

ABDULRAHMAN ZAKARIYAU writes on the recent promotion of close to 4,000 officers of the Federal Road Safety Commission (FRSC). The feat, considered as record-breaking in the history of the Commission, has generated quite a plethora of excitements and commendations.

They are commonly referred to as Road Safety, an appellation that speaks to the important role the personnel of the Federal Road Safety Commission (FRSC) play in ensuring sanity across the length and breadth of  the Nigerian roads. To some road users, they are a delight to watch while on duty, and yet the nemesis to some other motorists who relish breaking the traffic rules.

Always at the risk and mercy of the notorious motorists all in an attempt to carry out their duties of ensuring sanity on the nation’s highways. And for their efforts, some 3,630 senior, intermediate and junior officers got rewarded last week.  

History

The organisation started from a humble beginning with its technical and management headquarters located at No 9, Oshuntokun Street, Bodija Ibadan, Oyo State and the outpost and liaison office located in a 3-story building at Wuse Zone 2, Abuja, the nation’s capital city, with just about a dozen staff members  and 200 National Youth Corps (NYSC) members, operating from 6 locations and striving to get its feet. It was to later  transforming into a mega force amongst paramilitary organisations in Nigeria with thousands of formations scattered across the 774 local governments in the country.

Since then, there hasn’t been no looking back with the agency growing through strategic innovations and sheer resilience of its personnel into a reputable national institution and a global brand and an exemplar of best operational practices. A major reason for this, according to our findings, is the motivation that has been entrenched in the work place.

And one  of such critical elements of motivation is the promotion of officers to spur them to greater productivity and performance, which has remained at the core of the Corps’ excellent performance.

While the annual promotion of officers and marshals has remained a  tradition of sort, “none of the previous administrations had ever been courageous enough to promote this number of personnel in a single swoop.”

The promotion proper

In what can be considered a new year gift, the Corps Marshal, Dauda Ali Biu, released the promotion of 3,630 officers to their next ranks in the just concluded 2022 promotion exercise.

Of this figure, two of them namely; Commandant Federal Road Safety Corps Academy Udi, Enugu state, Assistant Corps Marshal Kayode Olagunju (PhD), and Zonal Commanding Officer RS2HQ Zonal Command Lagos, ACM Peter Kibo fdc, got appointed as Deputy Corps Marshal, The duo are to proceed on terminal leave.

A further breakdown of the figure, according to a statement by the FRSC Public Education Officer, ACM Bisi Kazeem, showed “84 Deputy Corps Commanders (DCC) were elevated to the rank of Corps Commander (CC),   211 Assistant Corps Commanders to the rank of Deputy Corps Commander, 52 Chief Route Commanders (CRC) to the rank of  Assistant Corps Commander (ACC) and 716 Superintendent Route Commanders (SRC) to the rank of Chief Route Commander (CRC). In the same promotion exercise, 1092 Route Commanders were elevated to the rank of Superintendent Route Commander, 691 Deputy Route Commanders got the the rank of Route Commander as 782 Assistant Route Commanders will now be decorated with the new rank of Deputy Route Commander.”

Kazeem said the approval came at the end of the meeting of the Commission, which ratified the resolution of the Establishment Committee of FRSC on promotion of Officers, where the exercise was diligently deliberated upon.

The excitement

The wave of excitement and frenzy created by this record-breaking gesture is unequalled in the history of the FRSC.

Blueprint’s findings revealed that the Biu feat is an exercise considered to be equal to none since the establishment of the organisation some  35 years back.

Feelers from across the FRSC  formations nationwide also revealed the ecstasy  and  indescribable jubilation in celebration of the unprecedented number of  the promoted officers  to deserving positions. The gesture, to say the least, is expected to spur motivation of staff to recommit to the business of saving lives on Nigerian roads.

A couple of officers who spoke to our reporter under anonymity, said the feat is unequalled. For instance, the jubilant mood of the personnel at the FRSC headquarters, showed a joyful atmosphere which confirmed the level of joy and happiness that heralded the release of the promotion list. 

Our reporter gathered that some of the promoted staffers had been on the rank for over 12 years.

“That there are still people who have been on one rank for 15 years but with this development, we can see light at the end of the tunnel and we believe this good work will continue till the end of time,” said an anonymous officer.

Also, a beneficiary of the exercise whose office is in an Abuja suburb, said: “This is a journey towards the realization of my life-time dream. CM Biu creates vacancies and wants to expand. He is a record breaker because no administration  ever did what he  has done. And for this, I will eternally remain grateful for him and indeed the entire management team ”

In yet another show of gratitude, a middle ranking officer who benefitted from the Biu largesse said, “posterity will be good to the Corps Marshal and the prayer of all staff is for him to head the organization for the next eight years in good health and abundant strength.”

While those who made it are excited and full of hope, those yet to take their turn expressed hope and became inspired by the Biu leadership style.

“For us, it is a good development and one that gives hope. Yes, I, like some others, didn’t benefit

in the promotion exercise, but I must tell you that we  have become limitlessly hopeful. By His grace, we will also become happy beneficiaries in the wind of change that has ushered in a new era in the administration of Corps Marshal Dauda Biu.”

Board chair

To the FRSC Board Chairman, Mallam Bukhari Bello, it was a delight that the exercise was thorough  and transparent, as it would further ginger the officers “to show more commitment and rededicate themselves to achieving the Corporate mission of the Corps which is to eradicate road traffic crashes and create a safer motoring environment in the country.” 

Bello further said the promotion would increase “the Commission’s drive towards rewarding excellence, diligence and hard work which is in line with the administrative philosophy of the present leadership of the Corps.”

Also in his remarks,  Corps Marshal Biu  congratulated the newly elevated officers for their excellent performances during the exercise, noting that every promotion comes with greater responsibilities. 

The FRSC boss who charged the newly promoted officers m to put in their best in the course of their duties, saying  “the new ranks call for more focus, more dedication, commitment and passion.”

Call to further service

Asked for his comment, Kazeem said: “In the real sense, promotion is an integral part of staff welfare and development which encourages recipients to put in concerted efforts for the upliftment of the organization. Like a responsive leader that he is, the Corps Marshal has done his very best.  Let it be said here that with this promotion comes more responsibilities. As such, the corps marshal has challenged the personnel to  double and redouble our sense or commitment.  Nigerians should expect better services from the Corps in the coming years.”

Also speaking on the development, a public affairs analyst, Sulaiman Abdulazeez, said: “This promotion has indeed ushered in a new wave of commitment, passion and rededication to the actualization of the vision and mission of the Corps. With this, there is a greater hope in the horizon as we expect the Corps personnel to reciprocate the magnanimity of the Corps Marshal and the Commission with renewed vigour, resilience and unquenchable thirst to eradicate road crashes.

“One thing that is very sure is that with this singular administrative decision, Biu has stamped his footprints on the sand of time and won the hearts of the entire workforce.”