Faking of vehicle insurance documents rampant ― FRSC boss

THE Corps Marshal of Federal Road Safety Corps (FRSC), Dr Boboye Oyeyemi has raised the alarm over rampant faking of the vehicle insurance documents by motorists, saying this requires closer examination.

He spoke on Tuesday in Abuja while addressing a joint news conference with the Director-General of the Federal Competition and Consumer Protection Commission (FCCPC), Babatunde Irukera, as part of collaborative efforts to ensure safer roads during the Christmas and New Year celebration.

Oyeyemi said vehicle insurance regime has become a major issue in road transport in Nigeria, particularly in compensation in event of mishaps, due significantly to the ignorance of insurance consumers.

He noted that the first major collaborative effort between FRSC and the FCCPC was intended to entrench best road use culture in Nigeria and further enforce the rights of consumers in the road transport sector.

He said the collaboration with the theme: “safety and consumer satisfaction in the ember season” was quite apt, considering the fact that the ember months are naturally characterized with high vehicle density as a result of the massive movement of people and goods from one destination to another.

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“This collaboration then, with all its strategic approaches will definitely trigger a mass reorientation in safety consciousness among drivers and commuters alike, as well as other road users,” he said.

The Corps Marshal said there was the need to ensure that Nigerians derive maximum benefits from whatever service compact was entered into by consumers with producers of goods and services, adding that FCCPC must indeed strive to build a formidable partnership that would put her in proactive mode rather than reactive.

He noted further that once such relationships are established, monitoring and evaluation of establishments become routine and friendly while also putting producers on their toes constantly.

He said: “As co-stakeholder’s, there are several areas that we can cooperate, and from which the nation can benefit; one of which is in the vehicle insurance regime which has become a major issue in road transport in Nigeria, particularly in compensation in event of mishaps, due, significantly, the ignorance of insurance consumers.

“Also, faking of the vehicle insurance documents have become quite rampant, both of which deserve closer examination. Just as motor vehicle operators appear ignorance of some of their responsibilities, so do many other road users, particularly passengers in vehicles in the course of mishaps causing trauma or other forms of loss.

While speaking on his reason for the visit to the FRSC, the Director-General of the FCCPC, Babatunde Irukera said the security, safety and comfort of the passengers were the basis for the collaboration.