Avoidable road accidents occur in Nigeria on a daily basis due to many factors; ranging from bad roads, dangerous overtaking, over speeding, etc.
With the Federal Road Safety Corps (FRSC) mandated to ensure the safety of motorists, PAUL OKAH asks if the agency is delivering on its mandate.
The Federal Road Safety Corps (FRSC) was established through Decree No. 45 of 1988 (as amended by Decree 35 of 1992) referred to in the statute books as the FRSC Act cap 141 Laws of the Federation of Nigeria (LFN) and passed by the National Assembly as Federal Road Safety Corps (establishment) Act 2007, with the motto: Creating a safe motoring environment in Nigeria.
With the aforementioned statutory backing, the FRSC operates in all states across the federation, including the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), as the leading agency on road safety administration and management.
Investigations by Blueprint Weekend have revealed that the Corps’ mandate include: Preventing or minimising accidents on the highway; clearing obstructions on any part of the highways; educating drivers, motorists and other members of the public generally on the proper use of the highways; designing and producing the driver’s license to be used by various categories of vehicle operators; determining, from time to time, the requirements to be satisfied by an applicant for a driver’s licence.
Also, FRSC is charged with designing and producing vehicle number plates; the standardisation of highway traffic codes; educating drivers, motorists and other members of the public generally on the proper use of the highways; giving prompt attention and care to victims of accidents; conducting researches into causes of motor accidents and methods of preventing them and putting into use the result of such researches.
Furthermore, FRSC is charged with determining and enforcing speed limits for all categories of roads and vehicles and controlling the use of speed limiting devices, cooperating with bodies or agencies or groups in road safety activities or in prevention of accidents on the highways, making regulations in pursuance of any of the functions assigned to the Corps by or under this Act.
In exercising these functions, members of the Corps have the power to arrest and prosecute persons reasonably suspected of having committed any traffic offence.
The continued dangerous trend of road traffic accidents in different states across the federation has placed Nigeria as one of the most road traffic accident (RTA) prone countries worldwide and the most in Africa in 2013.
Causes of road crashes
In a chat with Blueprint Weekend, a public affairs analyst, Dr. Ahmed Yakubu, said the impatience of motorists in Nigeria contributes, to a greater extent, to the multiple road accidents witnessed in Nigeria on a daily basis, with many going unreported in the media.
He said, “The FRSC can only do their best in discharging the duties of the office, but you and I know that motorists in Nigeria are simply from Nigeria…simply impatient, with dangerous overtaking at bends, with some even driving under the influence of alcohol.
“The ember months or Christmas is particularly very dangerous.
It is usually at this period that you will see commercial drivers making many trips in a day, driving recklessly and overloading.
I will charge the FRSC in different states to particularly be up and doing at this time.
They should book erring motorists to serve as deterrence to others and make extra effort in saving the lives of innocent Nigerians.”
Corruption
Speaking with this reporter, a motorist in the FCT, Mrs. Regina Nnamdi, alleged that FRSC officials contribute to road accidents by accepting money from defaulting motorists to avoid booking them for not possessing valid papers and unworthy vehicles.
She said: “If you are a road user, you would have had cause to come in contact with FRSC officials.
In many instances, you will see FRSC officials accepting bribe from drivers for not using safety belts, possessing expired documents, overloading their vehicles and other offences that constituting dangers to other road users.
“If a FRSC official permits a driver to continue operating with a vehicle not worthy, he is directly responsible for any accident involving the driver.
Nevertheless, what I can suggest is for officials to be continually trained on the ethics of their profession. Corrupt officials should also be disciplined for toying with lives of Nigerians by not living up to their responsibilities.”
Commander’s warning
On November 9, speaking with journalists shortly after assumption of duty, the sector commander, FRSC, Delta state Command, Mr. Uchechukwu Wihioka, warned operatives against bribery and all forms of indiscipline.
He said the Command was poised to stamp out all forms of corruption among the operatives and warned that any officer caught extorting the public would be sanctioned.
Wihioka urged them to brace up to the mandate of serving the public with utmost responsibility and for operatives to apply caution and be mindful of the sensibilities of the people while performing their duties.
“Operatives above 40 years should endeavour to go for regular medical check-up as directed by the Corps Marshal, to ensure good health and efficiency.
Road users in the state should obey traffic rules and observe all safety measures, especially as the nation approach the yuletide.
“The command will engage in continual public education and law enforcement to ensure safety on roads across the state.
Residents, especially youths, should always adopt lawful means in expressing their grievances when the need arise.
“The torching of the old FRSC headquarter in Asaba by some misguided youths during the #EndSARS protest is condemnable.
Youths are change apostles and should engage in positive change in society. The command will continue to partner them in various activities,” he said.
FRSC speaks
The Corps Public Education Officer (CPEO) of the FRSC, Assistant Corps Marshal (ACM) Bisi Kazeem, in a chat with journalists, said the Corps arrested 167, 783 traffic offenders between July and September 2020.
Kazeem said the offenders were arrested for over-loading, seat belt use violation, riding motorcycle without helmets, driving with shattered windscreen, driver’s licence violations, among others, noting that the corps is prepared to enforce and enlighten the people on the culture of traffic adherence in the country.
He said: “Enforcement in FRSC is always the last resort. Basically, I believe in educating the public using the various media platforms and even going to garages to talk to the public.
“There is need for motorists to avoid speeding, over loading and drunk driving as well as the observance of all COVID-19 protocols. Commercial road users should shun acts of speeding and dangerous driving. Reckless driving is one of the major causes of fatality on the highways and within the country.
“Passengers should not allow drivers to either overload their vehicles or engage in speeding, for their own safety.
Our aim is to ensure people drive safely every time and obey the traffic rules and regulations for their safety.
Drivers should obey traffic laws and regulations and cooperate with traffic officers for theirs and road users’ safety.”
Reps make case
The chairman, House of Representatives Committee on the FRSC, Akinfolarin Mayowa (APC-Ondo), addressing journalists in Abuja, said during the 2021 budget defence, the FRSC Corps Marshal, Dr. Boboye Oyeyemi, raised concerns over the harassment, kidnapping and killing of officials on the line of duty.
He said the Committee resolved to liaise with the leadership of the parliament and members of the Executive to ensure protection of FRSC officials as they are entitled to right to life and also have dependents.
“As a matter of fact, we said we are going to set up a committee to look at ways to protect lives and property on our roads.
We are saying that motorists, FRSC personnel and other road users deserve security and protection on our roads.
“The only time we made reference to fire arms was when we talked about the FRSC Establishment Act of 2007 which empowers officials to use arms. We cannot do that without looking at ways to do so in a manner that won’t be injurious to the public.
That is what informed the issue of setting up a committee to look into that aspect in the first place,” he said.
