The Federal Road Safety Commission (FRSC) is to begin the enforcement of the new speed limit device with effect from April 2016 as against the earlier announced date of September 2015.
Corp Marshal of the Commission, Boboye Oyeyemi who disclosed this at the 16 annual General Meeting of the National Association of Road Transport Owners (NARTO) said President Muhammadu Buhari approved the new date as a result of numerous appeals by Nigerians on the extension of the date of implementation.
Represented by the Deputy Corp Marsha, Operation, AA Abu, the Corp Marshal said over 50 percent of accidents on Nigerian roads are traceable to road accident and indiscipline by drivers on the highway, pointing out that as part of efforts at addressing frequent road accident, the FRSC was working hard to curtail over speeding on the nation’s highways.
He said further that as a result of the tanker fire in Anambra state and Lagos and several other crashes, the FRSC organised a stakeholders conference which recommended the re certification of tanker drivers across the country and regulation of speed limit.
He disclosed that the decertification which began in July was carried out in Lagos and nine other Centres adding that as a result of the exercise, the FRSC discovered several fake and expired drivers license, while receiving a lot of complaints on the mishandling of the issuance of drivers’ licenses and issues of extortion by agents.
Oyeyemi disclosed that the FRSC was working in collaboration with the Standard Organisation of Nigeria (SON) to ensure that fake spare parts does not find their way into the Nigeria market anymore and call for timely rehabilitation of a Nigeria. Roads.
Speaking earlier, National President of NARTO, Alhaji I Kassim Ibrahim Bataiya said that over 60 percent of Nigerian roads were in bad shape and in dire need if urgent attention.
While challenging the government to immediately put the roads in order Bataiya said the association has “implicit confidence on the government of the country to deliver on their electoral mandate.
“We strongly support the anti corruption campaign of Mr. president and we pledge to continue to play by the rules in line with our resolve to remain a committed and non partisan organisation poised to deliver transport efficiently and effectively throughout the country.
“While congratulating the new ministers, particularly those of Power, Works and Housing, Transportation, Petroleum and Labour, we wish to appeal for quicker response to the country’s infrastructural needs especially roads, railways, pipelines and refineries in order to address the unending energy crises that always destabilize our country.”
The Nation