Nyerhovwo Oghenetejiri
Delta State Government has restated it’s commitment to continuously partner with the Federal Road Safety Commission (FRSC) to ensure safe motoring just as the government has also restated its commitment to assist Special Marshals as a voluntary arm of the FRSC by creating enabling environment for them to carry out their duties.
This was disclosed by Dr. Emmanuel Uduaghan, Governor of Delta State during the 2014 Sectoral Workshop of the Department of Special Marshal & Partnership of R. S 5.2, Delta State Sector Command in Warri, he said that safety on the road is a collective responsibility therefore it behooves the FRSC, Vehicles Inspection Officers and other traffic management personnel/agencies to ensure that the nations’ roads are safe for Nigerians.
Dr. Uduaghan who was represented by Engr. Edu Ufuoma, Director, Vehicle Inspection, Directorate of Transport further disclosed that the State has in compliance with the 2011 Resolution of the National Council of Transport signed into Law a Bill establishing the Delta State Traffic Management Authority (DESTMA).
According to Dr. Uduaghan, “the government of Delta State will continue to partner with the FRSC to ensure safe motoring on the highways across the state since it is a collective responsibility owed our people. The State Government is highly committed to assist this volunteer arm of FRSC and will continue to create the necessary enabling environment for them to carry out their duties,”
The Governor spoke further, “the State Government on its part has continued to ensure safety on the roads through the Vehicle Inspection Officers(V.I.Os) through the certification of vehicles for road worthiness, testing and certification of learner drivers. This is to ensure that only road worthy vehicles and certified drivers use the roads..”
In his welcome address, Mr. Dickson Amromawhe, State Coordinator R.S 5.2, Delta State Command said that the theme of the workshop, “Improved Regulatory and Enforcement Capacity in FRSC: Ways Forward in RTC and Fatality Reduction” is apt.
Mr. Amromawhe disclosed that the workshop is targeted at training new marshals as well as serve as refresher course for older ones adding that since regulation and enforcement capacity has been in place, what is needed now is to improve, enforce and find the ways forward in Road Traffic Crashes (RTC) reduction and fatality.
While appreciating Special Marshals and the Regulars for the cordial relationship that exists between them, the Coordinator, Special Marshal and Partnership R.S 5.2, Delta State Command was of the opinion that both groups(Special Marshals and Regulars) must always reach out to one another in cooperation and understanding in order to achieve the objective of reducing road accidents in the state and Nigeria to the barest minimum.
Mr. Amromawhe added, “and this must be pursued with renewed vigor and strength. I therefore challenge all Special Marshals especially the passive ones to wake up to their responsibilities of law enforcement in relation to road safety matters, public enlightenment, education and awareness on road safety issues, research on matters affecting road safety.”
Mr. Amromawhe then used the opportunity to solicit financial and logistics support from government at all levels, corporate organizations and men of good will.
He spoke further,” the Special Marshal and Partnership has been suffering from many inadequacies and constrains among which are logistics in terms of broken down vehicles, bad roads etc . As you are aware, Special Marshal is a voluntary organization. We don’t have a budget from government, we sponsor ourselves. We are using this opportunity to appeal to government at all levels, corporate bodies and men of good will to help find solution to these problems.”
Incisive and relevant papers were delivered during the technical session.
