FRSC: Revenue Generating Or Traffic Management Agency

By Jonathan Nda-Isaiah

The Federal Road Safety Corps ( FRSC) was created in 1988 and
operates in all Nigerian states as well as the federal capital
territory (FCT) and is the leading agency in Nigeria on road safety
administration and management.

Their mandate is to prevent or minimise accidents on the
highway; clear obstructions on any part of the highways; and
educate drivers, motorists, and other members of the public
generally on the proper use of the highways.

Also, their cousins, vehicle inspection officers, are car
inspectors whose duty involve inspection and issuance of
roadworthiness certificate (RWC) to all vehicles in Nigeria,
maintenance of sanity on Nigerian roads and highways by ensuring
that vehicles plying Nigerian roads are roadworthy at all time.

However, in recent times, can it be said that the FRSC and VIO
have achieved their mandate of maintaining sanity on the roads and
roads accidents?

The answer is no. Both the FRSC and VIO have practically turned
themselves into revenue-generating agencies and have abandoned
their mandate.

In other climes, technology is used for traffic management. It
is used to arrest and fine drivers for overspeeding. In Nigeria,
FRSC and VIO are more concerned with catching and fining drivers
and not about reducing accidents.

In Abuja, for example, you will see heavy traffic gridlocks on
some highways. Instead of the VIO officers to be looking for ways
to ease the traffic, that is when they will start harassing drivers
for car papers, worsening the already bad traffic. They hide at
sharp corners or roads to arrest drivers instead of doing their
work.

They have joined the police in the extortion game. This is
sad.

No doubt, most of the cars on Nigerian roads are not roadworthy
but what do you expect? In a country with over 80 million living in
extreme poverty, you don’t expect to see many new cars on the
road.

Indeed, every problem needs a homegrown solution. You don’t
expect the rickety cars, especially taxis, to have new tyres or
everything in normal condition.

Arresting taxi drivers or private car owners for using worn-out
tyres in this present economic reality is the wickedness of the
highest order.

According to the National Bureau of Statistics (NBS), the number
of lives lost to road traffic accidents from January 2013 to 2019
are as follows: 2013 – 5,539; 2014 – 4,430; 2015 – 5,400; (FRSC):
2016 – 5,053; 2017 – 5,049; 2018 –5, 181; 2019 – 5,483.

Between January and March 2020, there were 1,758 deaths; April
to June 2020, 855 deaths; and July to September 2020, 1,076
deaths.

According to reports by NBS, 41,257 deaths were recorded on
Nigerian highways in 97 months.

This goes to show that the traffic management agencies need to
do wake up from their slumber. What’s the use of generating revenue
for the agency while many Nigerians are dying due to auto crashes
every day.

A majority of road accidents, especially in Abuja, have been
attributed to over-speeding and driving under the influence of
alcohol, drugs and not because their car papers are not
complete.

Pointedly, the two agencies should invest more in technology and
limit human interactions in traffic management.

They were created to reduce accidents and revenue generation is
secondary. Enough of this nonsense.

Jonathan Nda-Isaiah, political director at LEADERSHIP
Newspapers, can be reached via 08061573299, 08054518774.

By Jonathan Nda-Isaiah

The Federal Road Safety Corps ( FRSC) was created in 1988 and
operates in all Nigerian states as well as the federal capital
territory (FCT) and is the leading agency in Nigeria on road safety
administration and management.

Their mandate is to prevent or minimise accidents on the
highway; clear obstructions on any part of the highways; and
educate drivers, motorists, and other members of the public
generally on the proper use of the highways.

Also, their cousins, vehicle inspection officers, are car
inspectors whose duty involve inspection and issuance of
roadworthiness certificate (RWC) to all vehicles in Nigeria,
maintenance of sanity on Nigerian roads and highways by ensuring
that vehicles plying Nigerian roads are roadworthy at all time.

However, in recent times, can it be said that the FRSC and VIO
have achieved their mandate of maintaining sanity on the roads and
roads accidents?

The answer is no. Both the FRSC and VIO have practically turned
themselves into revenue-generating agencies and have abandoned
their mandate.

In other climes, technology is used for traffic management. It
is used to arrest and fine drivers for overspeeding. In Nigeria,
FRSC and VIO are more concerned with catching and fining drivers
and not about reducing accidents.

In Abuja, for example, you will see heavy traffic gridlocks on
some highways. Instead of the VIO officers to be looking for ways
to ease the traffic, that is when they will start harassing drivers
for car papers, worsening the already bad traffic. They hide at
sharp corners or roads to arrest drivers instead of doing their
work.

They have joined the police in the extortion game. This is
sad.

No doubt, most of the cars on Nigerian roads are not roadworthy
but what do you expect? In a country with over 80 million living in
extreme poverty, you don’t expect to see many new cars on the
road.

Indeed, every problem needs a homegrown solution. You don’t
expect the rickety cars, especially taxis, to have new tyres or
everything in normal condition.

Arresting taxi drivers or private car owners for using worn-out
tyres in this present economic reality is the wickedness of the
highest order.

According to the National Bureau of Statistics (NBS), the number
of lives lost to road traffic accidents from January 2013 to 2019
are as follows: 2013 – 5,539; 2014 – 4,430; 2015 – 5,400; (FRSC):
2016 – 5,053; 2017 – 5,049; 2018 –5, 181; 2019 – 5,483.

Between January and March 2020, there were 1,758 deaths; April
to June 2020, 855 deaths; and July to September 2020, 1,076
deaths.

According to reports by NBS, 41,257 deaths were recorded on
Nigerian highways in 97 months.

This goes to show that the traffic management agencies need to
do wake up from their slumber. What’s the use of generating revenue
for the agency while many Nigerians are dying due to auto crashes
every day.

A majority of road accidents, especially in Abuja, have been
attributed to over-speeding and driving under the influence of
alcohol, drugs and not because their car papers are not
complete.

Pointedly, the two agencies should invest more in technology and
limit human interactions in traffic management.

They were created to reduce accidents and revenue generation is
secondary. Enough of this nonsense.

Jonathan Nda-Isaiah, political director at LEADERSHIP
Newspapers, can be reached via 08061573299, 08054518774.