Following the unprecedented catastrophe of unparalleled
proportion that was about to engulf the Road Transport Sector in
Nigeria, where over 40,881 crashes were recorded in the year 1976
alone; concerned citizens at home and in the Diaspora led by Prof
Wole Soyinka stood to liberate their fatherland from the shackles
of Road Traffic crashes.
It was these and many other factors that informed the decision
of the then Military President, Gen Ibrahim Badamasi Babangida, in
1988 to establish via decree no 45 of 1988 as amended by decree no
35 of 1992, later codified as FRSC Act (CAP 141) Laws of the
Federation 1990 and FRSC Act CAP F19, LFN, 2004; FRSC
(Establishment) Act, 2007, the Federal Road Safety Corps as a
strategic intervention to address the ugly trend of road
crashes.
The Federal Road Safety Corps has ever since its establishment
operated in tandem with global standards- bringing down the trend
of crashes and reducing fatalities on the road through robust
public education on the use of the highways, prompt rescue
services, removal of obstructions, effective patrol operations, and
stakeholder cooperation, amongst others.
Unlike other agencies of government, the establishment of FRSC
was in conformity with the lead agency concept recommended by the
United Nations (UN) and World Health Organization (WHO) that member
nations should dedicate an agency of government to lead in
coordinating Road safety management as a best practice to combat
the scourge of death and injuries from road transport crash
(RTC).
Prior to the establishment of FRSC in 1988, WHO had adjudged
Nigeria, the second only behind Ethiopia, as the most dangerous
country in the world to drive a motor vehicle.
In its three decades of unbroken service to humanity as a lead
agency in traffic and safety management, FRSC has recorded
tremendous achievements in the area of Traffic Engineering, Road
Safety Administration, Traffic Management and Crash reduction.
The Corps has now come of age after going through good times and
tides. In its 30 years journey, it recorded for instance, a
commendable 62.4 per cent reduction in crash from 40,881 in 1976 to
25,792 within its first operational year alone. In this regard, it
is instructive to state that the Corps has doggedly fought RTC from
the unacceptable 40,881 of 1976 down to 5,993 in 2016 and 4,418 in
2017. The statistics above shows that the Corps is gaining grounds
accordingly.
To this end, through the use of state of the art Information
Technology facilities, the Corps has been able to enhance its
operational capacity aimed at promoting public safety and
security.
In compliance with the ease of doing business, the Corps has
over three decades designed and operated 24 web applications for
its operational activities so as to create an accessible platform
for the general public.
Some of these applications cover the Uniform Licensing scheme,
under which is the ONE DRIVER ONE RECORD which enables FRSC track
and match records of drivers with their driver’s licence, vehicle
number plate, traffic offences and others in a single view.
Introduction of the toll free 122 emergency number and a 24 hour
call centre established to reduce response time for crash victims;
a single step that has reduced emergency response time from 50
minutes to 15 minutes thereby decreasing the number of fatalities
in crash situations. More so, the introduction of Verification
Portal for driver’s licence and number plates, the introduction of
the Road Transport Safety Standardisation Scheme (RTSSS) for
uniformity and harmonization of fleet operators in the country, the
Driving School Standardisation Scheme (DSSP), the introduction of
the speed limiting device whose enforcement began on 1st February,
2017, and the vehicle tracking system among others, are policies
formulated and implemented to fight road traffic crash in the
country to extinction.
Again, it is noteworthy to look at the direction of the present
leadership of Dr Boboye Oyeyemi’s swift response to the incessant
abuse of traffic rules which led to the putting together of the
OPERATION COBRA to address certain life-threatening traffic-related
offences like Dangerous driving, Route violation, Use of Phone
while driving, Traffic Light violation and Drunk driving. This
singular step became instrumental to the decline in crash rate in
2017. According to the Corps Marshal, offenders apprehended by the
Operation Cobra squad are usually referred to a government health
facility for Emotional Stability Test and so far over 200 offenders
have been referred to different health facilities for
examination.
As a performance- driven organization with clearly set
measurable Key performance Indicators, FRSC is today, the only law
enforcement organization in Nigeria certified by the International
Standard Organization. Considering that road transport sector in
Nigeria accounts for over 90 per cent of passengers and freight
movement, this exerts undue pressure on the FRSC in discharging its
cardinal responsibilities. In view of the foregoing, the Corps has
over the years embarked on several reforms which include but not
limited to the following:
Development of a national road safety strategy roadmap, improved
operational efficiency, enhanced regulatory environment,
accelerated response capability to situations that needed immediate
actions. The Corps, therefore, defined the following paths which
were in tandem with UN decade of action as well as the mantra of
functional 21st century organization by chatting a path to meet the
Accra declaration of 50 per cent reduction in fatality by 2015,
achieve UN decade of action on road Safety of 50 per cent fatality
reduction by 2020, and place Nigerian roads within the league of 20
global safest roads by 2020.
To achieve the stated targets, the Corps has developed
transformational initiatives focused on People, Processes and
Technology (PPT) that is why today not only does its staff pride as
the most disciplined but the Corps stands as the best Information
Technology (IT) driven organization in Nigeria with its robust data
base and over 95 percentage digitalized administrative and
operational procedures.
The Corps under different governmental and administrative
leaderships, within this period under review, has proven to allay
the menace of road traffic crashes in the past three decades.
Achievements of such were based on many pillars and strict
implementation of its Corporate Strategic goals.
With its National headquarters, 12 Zonal Commands, 37 Sector
Commands, over 201 Unit Commands, 209 outposts, 27 road side
clinics, 41 emergency Ambulance Points, over 214 driver’s license
centres/ work stations, three number plate plants, a driver’s
license production print farm, an academy and a training school,
645 patrol vehicles, 150 administration vehicles, 106 ambulances,
22 Tow trucks and 204 bikes; the Corps has been able to carry out
its statutory functions of creating a safer motoring environment
through full deployment and utilization of its workforce ranging
from, its 21,000 regular marshals, 20,768 special marshals with the
President of the Federal Republic as its Patron, and 23,660 road
Safety clubs.
It is therefore instructive to state that the Corps in recent
times has noted that road safety is a shared responsibility; hence
in the era of the present Corps Marshal Dr. Boboye Oyeyemi,
establishment of State Traffic Agencies was encouraged to further
complement the function of the FRSC within the states. The Corps
also embarks on, in consultation with stakeholders who have become
more involved through the mechanism of the special marshals,
celebrity Special Marshals and road Safety clubs, the deployment of
FRSC personnel to Tank Farms has to a large degree, dwindled the
rate of crashes associated with articulated vehicles, particularly
tankers carrying petroleum products. Through its Safe-to- Load
initiative, articulated vehicle have been subjected to checks
before they are allowed to load from the various depots across the
country with trained personnel of the Corps undertaking routine
checks to ensure strict compliance.
On the global scene, FRSC takes leadership role of West African
road Safety Organisation (WARSO) as part of measures to scale up
the bar on road safety management within the West African region.
Further to this, the Corps has provided technical assistance to
Sierra Leone, Liberia, Ethiopia and so on. It has secured
implementation of a policy of robust engagement with international
organizations for capacity building including World Bank project on
Safe corridor Project etc; got Nigeria’s accession to the Geneva
and Vienna conventions on Road Signs and Markings, despite over six
decades of the convention and also made Nigeria the first African
country to be admitted into international Traffic Safety Data
analysis group, IRTAD.
These efforts have given the organization awards both national
and international especially during a workshop under the auspices
of the United Nations Economic Commission for Africa in Addis
Ababa, Ethiopia, where the FRSC was adjudged the best lead agency
on road safety management in Africa.
In his presentation at the workshop on Lead Agency Good
Practise, the Sub-Saharan Transport specialist, Per Mathiasen,
specifically lauded the Federal Road Safety Corps’ commitment
towards promoting best road safety practices in Africa through its
exemplary leadership of the West African Road Safety
Organization(WARSO) such as the introduction of proper regulation
of vehicle movement and initiation and implementation of
sustainable road safety strategies by relevant government agencies
as measures for safer road use in West Africa.
He also commended the FRSC for living up to its mandate within
the Nigerian context by developing an effective reporting mechanism
for road crashes especially in 2008.
According to him, the high figures in 2008 road crashes has
since been trending down due to the FRSC improved enforcement
strategies, adding that the downward sliding in road crashes
presently witnessed in Nigeria, is not replicated in any other
country he visited during a capacity review exercise.
In the same vein, the Transport specialist who attributed the
Corps’ success story to its establishment under the Presidency with
clear mandate and budget, also identified the introduction of a
world class drivers’ licensing standard by the FRSC which is
difficult to forge, building and maintenance of a dedicated work
force including regular marshals and a volunteer arm and optimal
deployment of technology, a feat which he described as unparalleled
in Africa, South of the Sahara.
Using the FRSC as case study of lead agency on road safety
management, Mathiasen outlined the five pillars of the United
Nations decade of action on road safety: management, safer roads,
safer vehicles, safer road users(enlightenment and enforcement) and
emergency response to road crashes, stressing that the Corps has
through its numerous initiatives, fulfilled all these through
sustained advocacy, policy formulation/implementation,
collaboration with other relevant agencies, effective utilization
of information and communication technology to deliver on its
statutory mandate.
The SSATP transport specialist also identified data utilization
and transparency as one of the Corps’ quick win strategies which
has ensured effective management of traffic-related matters through
a weekly reportage of traffic trends, utilization of data for
performance monitoring and targeted interventions, effective
monitoring, evaluation and planning, in addition to transparent
evaluation of trends and sustained drive for improved
performance.
Mathiasen also highlighted some critical areas in the Nigerian
Road Safety Strategy (2012-2016) such as digitalized accident
information, co-ordinated funding mechanism, design standards, road
safety audit, need for a 24/7 enforcement operations and the
development of FRSC tactics for awareness creation and interface
with the motoring public.
With 35 per cent of the nation’s 198,000 kilometres road network
being motorable on present estimated population of over nine
million registered vehicles and projected 40 million by 2020, it is
imperative to consider adopting the G-8 summit resolution in
Nigeria which prescribes the dedication of 10 per cent of road
contracts to road safety, strong legal frame work to enhance the
capacity for enforcement of traffic rules and regulations, improved
funding backed with a strong political will and concerted,
sustained efforts across a range of sectors , will no doubt put
Nigeria on the same pedestal with other nations across the globe.
Acting now will lead to a realistic reduction to 2.0 deaths per
10,000 vehicles by 2020.
– Kazeem is Corps Public Education Officer,
FRSC.
Following the unprecedented catastrophe of unparalleled
proportion that was about to engulf the Road Transport Sector in
Nigeria, where over 40,881 crashes were recorded in the year 1976
alone; concerned citizens at home and in the Diaspora led by Prof
Wole Soyinka stood to liberate their fatherland from the shackles
of Road Traffic crashes.
It was these and many other factors that informed the decision
of the then Military President, Gen Ibrahim Badamasi Babangida, in
1988 to establish via decree no 45 of 1988 as amended by decree no
35 of 1992, later codified as FRSC Act (CAP 141) Laws of the
Federation 1990 and FRSC Act CAP F19, LFN, 2004; FRSC
(Establishment) Act, 2007, the Federal Road Safety Corps as a
strategic intervention to address the ugly trend of road
crashes.
The Federal Road Safety Corps has ever since its establishment
operated in tandem with global standards- bringing down the trend
of crashes and reducing fatalities on the road through robust
public education on the use of the highways, prompt rescue
services, removal of obstructions, effective patrol operations, and
stakeholder cooperation, amongst others.
Unlike other agencies of government, the establishment of FRSC
was in conformity with the lead agency concept recommended by the
United Nations (UN) and World Health Organization (WHO) that member
nations should dedicate an agency of government to lead in
coordinating Road safety management as a best practice to combat
the scourge of death and injuries from road transport crash
(RTC).
Prior to the establishment of FRSC in 1988, WHO had adjudged
Nigeria, the second only behind Ethiopia, as the most dangerous
country in the world to drive a motor vehicle.
In its three decades of unbroken service to humanity as a lead
agency in traffic and safety management, FRSC has recorded
tremendous achievements in the area of Traffic Engineering, Road
Safety Administration, Traffic Management and Crash reduction.
The Corps has now come of age after going through good times and
tides. In its 30 years journey, it recorded for instance, a
commendable 62.4 per cent reduction in crash from 40,881 in 1976 to
25,792 within its first operational year alone. In this regard, it
is instructive to state that the Corps has doggedly fought RTC from
the unacceptable 40,881 of 1976 down to 5,993 in 2016 and 4,418 in
2017. The statistics above shows that the Corps is gaining grounds
accordingly.
To this end, through the use of state of the art Information
Technology facilities, the Corps has been able to enhance its
operational capacity aimed at promoting public safety and
security.
In compliance with the ease of doing business, the Corps has
over three decades designed and operated 24 web applications for
its operational activities so as to create an accessible platform
for the general public.
Some of these applications cover the Uniform Licensing scheme,
under which is the ONE DRIVER ONE RECORD which enables FRSC track
and match records of drivers with their driver’s licence, vehicle
number plate, traffic offences and others in a single view.
Introduction of the toll free 122 emergency number and a 24 hour
call centre established to reduce response time for crash victims;
a single step that has reduced emergency response time from 50
minutes to 15 minutes thereby decreasing the number of fatalities
in crash situations. More so, the introduction of Verification
Portal for driver’s licence and number plates, the introduction of
the Road Transport Safety Standardisation Scheme (RTSSS) for
uniformity and harmonization of fleet operators in the country, the
Driving School Standardisation Scheme (DSSP), the introduction of
the speed limiting device whose enforcement began on 1st February,
2017, and the vehicle tracking system among others, are policies
formulated and implemented to fight road traffic crash in the
country to extinction.
Again, it is noteworthy to look at the direction of the present
leadership of Dr Boboye Oyeyemi’s swift response to the incessant
abuse of traffic rules which led to the putting together of the
OPERATION COBRA to address certain life-threatening traffic-related
offences like Dangerous driving, Route violation, Use of Phone
while driving, Traffic Light violation and Drunk driving. This
singular step became instrumental to the decline in crash rate in
2017. According to the Corps Marshal, offenders apprehended by the
Operation Cobra squad are usually referred to a government health
facility for Emotional Stability Test and so far over 200 offenders
have been referred to different health facilities for
examination.
As a performance- driven organization with clearly set
measurable Key performance Indicators, FRSC is today, the only law
enforcement organization in Nigeria certified by the International
Standard Organization. Considering that road transport sector in
Nigeria accounts for over 90 per cent of passengers and freight
movement, this exerts undue pressure on the FRSC in discharging its
cardinal responsibilities. In view of the foregoing, the Corps has
over the years embarked on several reforms which include but not
limited to the following:
Development of a national road safety strategy roadmap, improved
operational efficiency, enhanced regulatory environment,
accelerated response capability to situations that needed immediate
actions. The Corps, therefore, defined the following paths which
were in tandem with UN decade of action as well as the mantra of
functional 21st century organization by chatting a path to meet the
Accra declaration of 50 per cent reduction in fatality by 2015,
achieve UN decade of action on road Safety of 50 per cent fatality
reduction by 2020, and place Nigerian roads within the league of 20
global safest roads by 2020.
To achieve the stated targets, the Corps has developed
transformational initiatives focused on People, Processes and
Technology (PPT) that is why today not only does its staff pride as
the most disciplined but the Corps stands as the best Information
Technology (IT) driven organization in Nigeria with its robust data
base and over 95 percentage digitalized administrative and
operational procedures.
The Corps under different governmental and administrative
leaderships, within this period under review, has proven to allay
the menace of road traffic crashes in the past three decades.
Achievements of such were based on many pillars and strict
implementation of its Corporate Strategic goals.
With its National headquarters, 12 Zonal Commands, 37 Sector
Commands, over 201 Unit Commands, 209 outposts, 27 road side
clinics, 41 emergency Ambulance Points, over 214 driver’s license
centres/ work stations, three number plate plants, a driver’s
license production print farm, an academy and a training school,
645 patrol vehicles, 150 administration vehicles, 106 ambulances,
22 Tow trucks and 204 bikes; the Corps has been able to carry out
its statutory functions of creating a safer motoring environment
through full deployment and utilization of its workforce ranging
from, its 21,000 regular marshals, 20,768 special marshals with the
President of the Federal Republic as its Patron, and 23,660 road
Safety clubs.
It is therefore instructive to state that the Corps in recent
times has noted that road safety is a shared responsibility; hence
in the era of the present Corps Marshal Dr. Boboye Oyeyemi,
establishment of State Traffic Agencies was encouraged to further
complement the function of the FRSC within the states. The Corps
also embarks on, in consultation with stakeholders who have become
more involved through the mechanism of the special marshals,
celebrity Special Marshals and road Safety clubs, the deployment of
FRSC personnel to Tank Farms has to a large degree, dwindled the
rate of crashes associated with articulated vehicles, particularly
tankers carrying petroleum products. Through its Safe-to- Load
initiative, articulated vehicle have been subjected to checks
before they are allowed to load from the various depots across the
country with trained personnel of the Corps undertaking routine
checks to ensure strict compliance.
On the global scene, FRSC takes leadership role of West African
road Safety Organisation (WARSO) as part of measures to scale up
the bar on road safety management within the West African region.
Further to this, the Corps has provided technical assistance to
Sierra Leone, Liberia, Ethiopia and so on. It has secured
implementation of a policy of robust engagement with international
organizations for capacity building including World Bank project on
Safe corridor Project etc; got Nigeria’s accession to the Geneva
and Vienna conventions on Road Signs and Markings, despite over six
decades of the convention and also made Nigeria the first African
country to be admitted into international Traffic Safety Data
analysis group, IRTAD.
These efforts have given the organization awards both national
and international especially during a workshop under the auspices
of the United Nations Economic Commission for Africa in Addis
Ababa, Ethiopia, where the FRSC was adjudged the best lead agency
on road safety management in Africa.
In his presentation at the workshop on Lead Agency Good
Practise, the Sub-Saharan Transport specialist, Per Mathiasen,
specifically lauded the Federal Road Safety Corps’ commitment
towards promoting best road safety practices in Africa through its
exemplary leadership of the West African Road Safety
Organization(WARSO) such as the introduction of proper regulation
of vehicle movement and initiation and implementation of
sustainable road safety strategies by relevant government agencies
as measures for safer road use in West Africa.
He also commended the FRSC for living up to its mandate within
the Nigerian context by developing an effective reporting mechanism
for road crashes especially in 2008.
According to him, the high figures in 2008 road crashes has
since been trending down due to the FRSC improved enforcement
strategies, adding that the downward sliding in road crashes
presently witnessed in Nigeria, is not replicated in any other
country he visited during a capacity review exercise.
In the same vein, the Transport specialist who attributed the
Corps’ success story to its establishment under the Presidency with
clear mandate and budget, also identified the introduction of a
world class drivers’ licensing standard by the FRSC which is
difficult to forge, building and maintenance of a dedicated work
force including regular marshals and a volunteer arm and optimal
deployment of technology, a feat which he described as unparalleled
in Africa, South of the Sahara.
Using the FRSC as case study of lead agency on road safety
management, Mathiasen outlined the five pillars of the United
Nations decade of action on road safety: management, safer roads,
safer vehicles, safer road users(enlightenment and enforcement) and
emergency response to road crashes, stressing that the Corps has
through its numerous initiatives, fulfilled all these through
sustained advocacy, policy formulation/implementation,
collaboration with other relevant agencies, effective utilization
of information and communication technology to deliver on its
statutory mandate.
The SSATP transport specialist also identified data utilization
and transparency as one of the Corps’ quick win strategies which
has ensured effective management of traffic-related matters through
a weekly reportage of traffic trends, utilization of data for
performance monitoring and targeted interventions, effective
monitoring, evaluation and planning, in addition to transparent
evaluation of trends and sustained drive for improved
performance.
Mathiasen also highlighted some critical areas in the Nigerian
Road Safety Strategy (2012-2016) such as digitalized accident
information, co-ordinated funding mechanism, design standards, road
safety audit, need for a 24/7 enforcement operations and the
development of FRSC tactics for awareness creation and interface
with the motoring public.
With 35 per cent of the nation’s 198,000 kilometres road network
being motorable on present estimated population of over nine
million registered vehicles and projected 40 million by 2020, it is
imperative to consider adopting the G-8 summit resolution in
Nigeria which prescribes the dedication of 10 per cent of road
contracts to road safety, strong legal frame work to enhance the
capacity for enforcement of traffic rules and regulations, improved
funding backed with a strong political will and concerted,
sustained efforts across a range of sectors , will no doubt put
Nigeria on the same pedestal with other nations across the globe.
Acting now will lead to a realistic reduction to 2.0 deaths per
10,000 vehicles by 2020.
– Kazeem is Corps Public Education Officer,
FRSC.
Read more https://nairalaw.com/frsc-30-years-of-unbroken-service-to-humanity/