Authorities of the National University Commission (NUC), and other security agencies including the Nigerian Army and Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC) on Thursday expressed overwhelming support for the bills which seek to establish FRSC academy and other training institutions.
Chairman, House Committee on Federal Road Safety Commission (FRSC), Hon. Akinfolarin Mayowa Samuel who applauded the giant strides recorded by the Commission since its establishment acknowledged the gallantry efforts spearheaded by the immediate past Corps Marshall, Dr Oyeyemi Boboyand his successor, Mr Dauda Biu.
The bills 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 Federal Road Safety Corps Personnel, Personnel of strategic sister agencies, relevant Ministries, Departments and Agencies and as a Centre of Research in road traffic administration and safety management and for related matters; A Bill for an Act to establish Federal Road Safety Commission Inspectorate Training School as a Higher National Diploma Awarding Institution to provide Academic and Professional Training: and for related matters; A Bill for an Act to establish Federal Road Safety Commission Academy as a Degree-Awarding Institution to provide academic and professional training and for related matters, among others.
While commending the Commission for taking the lead in road traffic administration and road safety management in Nigeria and Africa as a whole; he observed that the public hearing on the four bills seeks legal backing for these institutions that are already fully in operation at various levels.
Akinfolarin who underscored the need for collaboration and synergy in governance and among agencies of government disclosed that some of the structures of the Institutes were donated to the commission by State Governments of various locations.
“This is a testament to the importance of collaborations in governance and I equally commend the Corps Marshal and his team for not only relying on budgetary allocation to carry out your activities.
“The last leg of this public hearing is to let the public know that the committee is working on a motion to curb the menace of the recurring obstructions caused by articulated vehicles on our highways.
“Let me reiterate that public hearings are crucial avenues for us to distil public opinions and check the pulse of the nation over policies and activities with the sole aim of providing our people with the needed space to participate in our lawmaking processes.”
In his presentation, Chairman, FRSC Board, Mallam Buhari Bello explained that the establishment of the learning institutions for the training and retraining of members of the Corps as well as the general public on effective and efficient road traffic administration and safety management is in alignment with the United Nations Decade of Action on Road Safety (2021-2030).
“As part of its efforts in positioning the Federal Road Safety Corps as a world-class organization as well as ensuring Nigeria meets international standards and obligations in road traffic administration and safety management, the Federal Government acceded to all the six United Nations Conventions. The Conventions are: 1968 Convention on Road Signs and Signals acceded to by Nigeria on 24th December 2010. The objective of the Convention is to have harmonised road signs and signals globally.
“1957 agreement concerning the international carriage of dangerous goods by road (ADR) acceded to by Nigeria on 4th October 2018. This treaty governs the transnational transport of hazardous materials. The Agreement provides that with the exception of certain exceptionally dangerous materials, hazardous materials may in general be transported internationally in wheeled vehicles.”
In his remarks, NSCDC Commandant General, Dr Ahmed Audi who conveyed the Corps’ support for the bills, stressed the need to include the Ministry of Education on the Board of FRSC Staff College and reflect the tenure of the Commandant in the bill with a view to creating a sense of security for whosoever is appointed as Commandant.
On his part, NUC Executive Secretary, Professor Abubakar Rasheed who was represented by Pascal Iruaga, affirmed that the Bills seek to establish new Federal educational institutions for the purpose of training personnel of the Federal Road Safety Commission.
In its memoranda submitted to the Committee, O. M. Atoyebi & Partners while describing the Bills as a welcome development in the operative administration of the Federal Road Safety Commission’s educational arm, however, advised that the Bills be merged into one harmonized Bill, providing for the various Institutions of the Commission.
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