The Director-General of the State Security Services, Mr. Ekpeyong Itah has described the new number plate project as a catalyst in the collective push to combat terrorism and other national security challenges facing the country.
Speaking during an advocacy visit by Wolrd Bank road safety consultants, Mr. Itah expressed his delight with the World Bank initiate of integrating safety components on road rehabilitation and construction in Nigeria as it will add value to traffic enforcement and proper identification of vehicle owners, across the country.
Continuing, the Director-General said that these innovations have made Nigeria an investment destination which will no doubt, provide the potentials for socio-economic development.
Earlier in his presentation, the FRSC Corps Marshal and Chief Executive, Osita Chidoka said that the World Bank Consultants were in Nigeria for a review of the FRSC enforcement capacity, in line with the World Bank Safe corridor project which seeks to infuse road safety components into road construction and rehabilitation in Nigeria.
According to the Corps Marshal, under the safe corridor project which is been overseen by the World Bank, Global Road Safety Facility, Arrive Alive Road Safety initiative, the FRSC and the Road Sector Development Team, (Federal Ministry of Works), the World Bank seeks to transfer fund and human potentials from countries of high income capacity to countries of low and medium income capacity as part of measures to engender commitment for road safety within global circles.
He added that aside from the establishment of some Unit Commands along the designated corridors by the FRSC, the World Bank is presently procuring operational equipment to enhance road safety activities such as patrol vehicles, ambulances, Tow trucks, radar Guns, vehicle mounted cameras, Radio communication equipment and alcohol testers. He also said that the aim of the reviews is to identify a correlation between education, engineering and enforcement to enhance road safety management in Nigeria.
Also speaking, the World Bank Consultant, Minze Beuving expressed his delight at the level of data collation and management by the FRSC and road infrastructure in the FCT but urged the Federal Government to re-double efforts in the area of traffic enforcement bordering on speed limit and use of safety helmet.
In a related development, the Minister for Works, Mr. Mike Onolememe has said that Nigeria enjoyes a rewarding partnership with the World Bank in the area of road development projects which has contributed immensely to the rehabilitation of numerous black spots along various sections of the highways and will serve as an impetus for a 50% reduction of road crashes in Nigeria.
According to the Minister, World Bank is presently funding the construction of 6 pedestrian bridges at strategic locations in the FCT to add value to safer road use in the metropolis and urged the global financial institution to replicate the safe corridor parts project in other of the country.
The World Bank consultants were also at the National Assembly to interface with the Senate Committee on Federal Character and Inter-Governmental Affairs and House Committee on Road Safety to push for stronger legislative framework to enhance the capacity for the Federal Road Safety Corps to effectively discharge its statutory mandate.
Written by FRSC
