FRSC boss laments pressure on road, backs multi-modal system

• Commiserates with Attahiru family, others

The Corps Marshal, Federal Road Safety Corps, Dr Boboye Oyeyemi, has expressed worry over the pressure being  exerted on the nation’s roads as the major mode of transportation and called for accelerated adoption of multi-modal system towards addressing challenges facing the sector.
He also expressed sadness over the death of Chief of Army Staff, Lt Gen. Ibrahim Attahiru, in a plane crash that occurred at the Kaduna airport on Friday, May 21, 2021 and commiserated with his family and other victims’.
Oyeyemi, who decried the non-implementation of the National Transport Policy, 29 years after it was drafted, spoke “Improving Nigeria Transportation Systems: The Way Forward” at the 8th Nigeria Annual Transport Lecture held recently at Sheraton Hotel, Lagos.
He stressed the need for improvement of the inter-modal transport system.
The FRSC boss warned that the road system was dominant over other modes, taking about 95 per cent.
This, he said, had serious road safety concerns in the form of traffic crashes and infrastructure decay.
Noting that road crashes have increased, the Corps Marshal said, “The pressure is too much on the road. Fatality has been on the high. We used to have an average of 100 lives lost on the roads weekly. Speed is a major aspect we need to address.”
The FRSC boss maintained that utilising other modes of transport such as air, water, pipeline and rail would ease gridlock on the road and had the potential to boost the economy from travel tourism perspective.
According to him, there has not been a balanced development of the country’s transportation system, pointing out that increase in road construction activities and some developmental challenges being experienced by the other sectors of transportation, the movement of people, goods and services is dominated by road transport.
He said, “Government should expand and upgrade existing air travel infrastructures so as to boost confidence in the industry with respect to air safety; encourage more investments to bring about healthy competition such that more people can opt for the mode as against the road especially for long-distance travel. This will largely reduce ‘fatigue’ induced and tyre related crashes on the road.”
According to him, greater investments as a follow up of the MoU between NIWA, NEXIM and Sealink Promotional Co. Ltd should be activated.
He also canvassed for the dredging of identified potential waterways in the country to improve safety and enhance navigation amongst others.
Meanwhile, the FRSC corps marshal has described as unfortunate the plane crash that claimed the life of COAS Attahiru and 10 other military personnel, adding that it is a great loss to the nation at this critical period when the Armed Forces is committed to winning the war against insurgency.
A statement by the Corps Public Education Officer, Bisi Kazeem, quoted Corps Marshal Oyeyemi as condoling with President Muhammadu Buhari, the Nigerian Armed Forces, families and friends of the late Chief of Army Staff and other military officers and crew, who died in the air crash and enjoined all to take solace in the fact that Attahiru lived an exemplary and patriotic life worthy of emulation.
He described the late COAS “as a disciplined, forthright, committed and professional military officer who was unwavering in fighting and winning the war not only against insurgency and returning peace to the nation, but partnering with the FRSC to ensure safer road environment for all road users.
He prayed for the repose of the departed souls and to grant their loved ones and the nation the fortitude to bear the great loss.