News and Events

CORPS MARSHAL INAUGURATES CELEBRITY SPECIAL MARSHALS UNIT IN LAGOS

A unit of Special Marshals solely constituted by celebrities in Nigeria has been inaugurated by the Corps Marshal and Chief Executive of the Federal Road Safety Corps (FRSC), Osita Chidoka in Lagos.

In his keynote address at the occasion, Chidoka paid glowing tributes to the Special Marshals in the country for their immeasurable contribution to the development of the Corps over the years. He stated that as ‘‘the largest volunteer force in Africa, membership of Special Marshals is drawn from diverse backgrounds and their voluntary contribution is ‘’well appreciated’’.

‘‘Their contribution to the development of the Corps over the years is well appreciated. They are the largest volunteer force in Africa with membership of about 15,000; and effort is being made to increase the strength’’, he said.

While inaugurating the celebrities who are drawn from music, comedy, movies and media industries and commended them for their interest in serving the people, the Corps Marshal warned that those who would not live up to the expectation of the ideals of volunteerism which Specials Marshals initiative stands for would not be retained in the group, as their activities would be constantly evaluated to determine ‘‘the committed and serious ones’’.

‘‘Furthermore, there has been a re-evaluation of the activities of members to the ideals of which special marshals’ initiative stand for. Those not living up to expectations were de-marshalled, leaving the serious and committed ones’’, he further stated.

The Corps Marshal enjoined them to use their God-given talents to positively influence the attitude of their fans to traffic signs and road traffic crashes, in order to disabuse their minds from the wrongly held belief that ‘‘accident is caused by the will of God or evil spirits’’. He consequently advised people to obey traffic rules and regulations in these ember months and beyond, ‘‘so that we could collectively deal with the monster of road traffic crashes’’.

Responding on behalf of the inaugurated members, Mr Dayo Adeneye pledged the commitment and appreciation of the members to the ideals of the Special Marshals.

He said: ‘‘we appreciate this opportunity given to us to serve our fatherland and I wish to on behalf of all the new members give assurance that we will not fail the nation and the Corps. By the time we would be assessed next year, I believe we will be elevated because of the seriousness we are going to put into this assignment’’, he stressed.

The ceremony which had in attendance, crème de la crème of people in entertainment and media industries, attracted musical displays by different band groups and was held at the prestigious Southern Sun Hotel Ikoyi, Lagos.

Among those inaugurated were the Weird MC and Adewale Ayuba from the music industry, while Ali Baba, Koffi, Stella Damasus, Seun Olagunju and Ademola Adeoye among others represented those from the comedy, movies and media industries respectively.

HELMET ENFORCEMENT: IRATE OKADA OPERATORS RAZE FRSC OFFICE IN BIU

The Biu Unit Command Office of the Federal Road Safety Corps was in the early hours of today, set ablaze by a mob of commercial motorcycle operators who were protesting the killing of their two colleagues.

Details of the tragic incident indicate that the Biu Unit Command of the FRSC had in pursuant to on-going nationwide enforcement of compulsory use of safety helmet, organized a joint special patrol tagged ‘Operation Compliance’ in collaboration with the Police, Nigerian Army and the National Security and Civil Defence Corps as part of measures aimed at checking the spate of violation of the directive on helmet use among okada operators in the area.

According to the acting Unit Commander, Apollos Movel, in the course of the exercise which was endorsed by the Motorcycle operators leadership in Biu Local Government in Borno State, 17 motorcycles were impounded for non-compliance which sparked-off a protest from Okada riders.

Further information indicate that the commercial motorcycle operators snatched and destroyed helmets belonging to their complying colleagues before pelting the ‘operation Flush’ team from the Nigerian Army with stones and other dangerous weapons.

In an attempt to disperse the rampaging crowd, stray bullets hit two of the Okada operators which resulted for a more intense protest from the motorcycle operators which spread into the metropolis.

The Unit Commander added that the mob took the corpses of their dead colleagues to the palace of the Emir of Biu, Alhaji Aliu Mustapha in further protest before rushing to raze the FRSC building and a Police Out-station to the ground, forcing FRSC Officers and Men in the area to relocate to the Abogo Lagema Military Cantonment to avoid further reprisals from the rampaging okada operators.

COMACE ADDRESS AT CELEBRITY SPECIAL MARSHALS INDUCTION

KEY NOTE ADDRESS PRESENTED BY THE CORPS MARSHAL AND CHIEF EXECUTIVE OF THE FEDERAL ROAD SAFETY CORPS OSITA CHIDOKA AT THE INDUCTION CEREMONY OF CELEBRITY SPECIAL MARSHALS HELD ON 20 TH OCTOBER 2009 AT SOUTHERN SUN HOTEL IKOYI LAGOS.

1. Today marks yet another milestone in the efforts of the Federal Road Safety Corps to raise the banner of public enlightenment campaign on road safety in the country with the involvement of celebrities.
2. The idea of involving celebrities in the campaign is a novel one. I embraced it because of my conviction that celebrities in any society have solid followership base and could effectively influence their fans for social mobilization cause. Moreover, the idea of massive participation of people with civic backgrounds for the propagation of the messages of road safety is one of the Corps’ operational strategies. That was why I did not only lend my unwavering support to this novel idea, but demonstrated it by my travelling down to do the induction myself.
3. It is therefore, a great pleasure and honour for me to be here today to preside over this occasion, which no doubt is a turning point in the onerous task of the Corps to reduce road traffic crashes in the country to zero level.
4. The concept of volunteerism which the Special Marshals evidently demonstrates is a universal idea based on the belief that government alone cannot do it. People with spirit of selfless services should therefore be encouraged to render these services to the glory of God and development of the nation. Consequently, I wish to thank specially,all celebrities who have thought it wise today to invest their time, talents and resources in solidarity with our campaign against road carnage by becoming members of Special Marshals. In particular, my deep appreciation goes to members who are drawn from the media, movies, music and comedy industries for their patriotic decision to serve their fatherland voluntarily using their God- given talents to save the lives of the people on the roads.
5. Special Marshals are volunteer members of the Corps whose members are drawn from people with diverse backgrounds with the sole aim of rendering their selfless services for the love of humanity. Its members have the same powers of rendering recue services to accident victims without fear of being questioned by any authority, educate traffic offenders if apprehended and prosecute them if necessary, just like the Regular Marshals. Their contribution to development of the Corps over the years is well appreciated. They are the largest volunteer force in Africa with membership of about 15,000 and effort is being made to increase the strength.
6. We have in appreciation of their supportive roles to the Corps embarked on rebranding exercise which led to the changing of their regalia to make them appear both distinctive and dignifying. We went further to patent it in order to make it impossible for members of any agency or body to make use of the same uniform. Furthermore, there has been a re-evaluation of the activities of members to the ideals which it stands for. Those not living up to expectations were de- marshaled leaving the serious and committed ones.
7. It is my hope that celebrities who are going to be inducted today would serve as sterling example of what Special Marshals should be in terms of using their platform to influence people’s attitude to traffic signs and road traffic crashes. This is imperative in view of the need to disabuse the minds of the people from the wrongly held belief that road traffic crash is either caused by the will of God or evil spirits. Rather, we know that it is possible to avoid it, if necessary precautions are taken and people show due consideration to one another on the roads. I therefore wish to appeal to all Nigerians to obey traffic rules and regulations and remain steadfast in these ember months and beyond, so that we could collectively deal with the monster of road traffic crashes.
8. To the new Special Marshals, I wish to congratulate you all once again for this opportunity you have gotten to freely serve humanity. I enjoin all others in different fields to take a cue from you to become one of our volunteers in our collective efforts to restore sanity to the roads.
9. By the power conferred on me as the Corps Marshals and Chief Executive of the Federal Road Safety Corps, it is my honour and privilege to admit you to the fold of FRSC as members of celebrity special Marshals in pursuit of our campaign against road carnage in Nigeria and to the glory of God.
10. Thank you.

FRSC ORGANIZES ANNUAL LECTURE ON ROAD SAFETY.

Former Secretary General of the Commonwealth, Chief Emeka Anyaoku has been slated as a Guest Speaker at the year’s inaugural annual lecture series on road safety, instituted by the Federal Road Safety Corps as part of measures to further enshrine acceptable road safety practices among road users in Nigeria with the theme, “Sustainable Development and Road Safety”

During the one-day summit, which will have the President of Senate, Distinguished Senator David Mark as the Chairman and the Honourable Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, Alhaji Adamu Aliero as Chief Host, resource persons will make paper presentations bothering on road safety as a cardinal element for national growth.

Details of the lecture which is slated for 27 October, 2009 at the Sheraton Hotel and Towers Abuja indicate that Road Safety Operatives drawn from the Corps’ various formations across the Country, Special Marshals, Non-Governmental Agencies, Global partners in Road Safety and Stakeholders in the Transport Sector, will converge on the Federal Capital Territory Abuja for the inaugural lecture which is aimed at pushing road safety matters to the front burner of national issues.

NIGERIA LABOUR CONGRESS AND FRSC BACKS NURTW ON INSURANCE

The President of the Nigeria Labour congress, comrade Abdulwaheed Omar and the Corps Marshal and Chief Executive of the FRSC, Osita Chidoka, have thrown their weights behind the newly introduced Road Accident Health Insurance Scheme (RAHIS) for commuters by the National Union of Road Transport workers (NURTW).

The duo who spoke in Abuja shortly after the launch of RAHIS in Abuja, said the initiative was a welcome development.

Comrade Omar said he was impressed by the initiative of the NURTW and the personal presence of the Corps Marshal of the FRSC at the launch of the programme which to him showed the spirit of dedication and commitment to service.

He also added that NURTW as the biggest affiliate of the Nigeria Labour congress (NLC) would continue to enjoy its support.

For the FRSC’s Corps Marshal, Omar said the initiative would go a long way in helping accident victims, should public enlightenment campaign and enforcement measures fail. According to him, if enlightenment campaign and enforcement do not stop accident from happening, the most important thing left will be to rescue those involved. He added that he is of the belief that the scheme will provide an opportunity for the NURTW to help those involved in vehicle crashes, not only to get prompt medical attention but also to help their families, because most times, the people involved n accidents are usually maimed.

Omar however disagreed with the World Health organisation’s (WHO) data that Nigeria records over 32,000 deaths every year through road crashes. According to him, only about 5,000 persons died in various road traffic crashes last year as against the 32,000 declared by the WHO.

Earlier in his speech, the President of the National Union of Road Transport Workers (NURTW), Alhaji Gidado Hamman, said it was in recognition of the high frequency of uninsured accidents with the resultant loss of lives that the NURTW, on behalf of its members nationwide decided to come up with RAHIS.

He said the scheme came up through partnership with Oval Integrated Services Limited and other companies in order to provide insurance for death, permanent disability and medical treatment for accident victims, while travelling in any of the insured vehicles operating within Nigeria.

According to him, despite the fact that not all deaths and crashes on the roads are officially reported, 8,672 people were said to have lost their lives to road crashes in Nigeria in 2003 while another 28,215 people sustained different degrees of injury within the period.

Statistics from the FRSC revealed that in 2006 alone, a total of 4, 955 people lost their lives to road accidents in the country, while 17, 390 were injured within the same period.

He further disclosed that death benefit to be paid to next of kin of a victim of road crash is one hundred and fifty Thousand naira (N150, 000) while permanent disability attracts one hundred thousand naira (N100,000) to replicate the insurance cover enjoyed by those who travel by air.