The National Universities Commission (NUC) has expressed support for the plan to establish a Command and Staff College for Federal Road Safety Commission (FRSC).
The House of Representatives Committee on Road Safety on Thursday held a public hearing on the Bill, another which it said were aimed at reposition the FRSC, as well as inputs of stakeholders on a resolution of the House over the incessant blockage of highways by articulated vehicles.
The proposals are; A bill for an Act to establish Federal Road Safety Commission Command and Staff College Ibadan to serve as a high level centre for training of FRSC personnel, personnel of strategic sister agencies, relevant MDAs as a centre of research in road traffic administration and safety management and for related matters, and a bill for an Act to establish FRSC inspectorate training school as a higher national diploma awarding institution to provide academic and professional training and for related matters.
Speaking on the development, a representative of the NUC, Paschal Iwuaga, though explained that he was yet to get and study the bill for the establishment of the FRSC Command Staff College, he noted that the Commission do not oppose the Road Safety Academy but that the Chairman of Council must be appointed by the President of Nigeria.
In his presentation, FRSC’s Corps Marshall, Mr. Dauda Ali Biu, pointed out that there was the need for training and retraining of road safety personnel in the interest of safety on Nigerian roads. “After critical review of the bills, we came to the conclusion that the bills should be harmonized to avoid ambiguity”, he said, adding that the essence of the institutions was to give staff the needed trainings.
Earlier in his remarks, Chairman of the Committee on Road Safety, Hon. Akinfolarin Samuel, said the bills were important to the overall good of the Road Safety.
“The purpose is to complement the road safety for taking the lead in road traffic management administration and safety management in Nigeria and Africa as a whole. Two to see legal backing or recognition for institutions that are fully in operation at different levels”, he said.
