The Federal Road Safety Corps (FRSC) has lamented the attitude of some driving school operators who are in the habit of cutting corners and compromising safety.
FRSC Corps Marshal, Mr. Shehu Muhammad, stated this in Port Harcourt at the ongoing two -day national workshop for driving school proprietors and instructors.
The training programme covers participants from Rivers, Bayelsa, Akwa Ibom, Abia and Imo States.
Represented by Mr. Henry Benemesia, an Assistant Corps Marshall, Muhammad stressed that despite efforts to improve the driving culture and promote safety on our roads, some driving schools have continued to prioritise profit over safety.
“Some of them are still struggling to attain necessary operational standards, regulatory compliance, overcome infrastructure deficiencies and provide professional development for instructors.
“We will nevertheless, continue to ensure an improved compliance with minimum operational standards and a more structured and credible licensing process,” he said.
The FRSC boss lauded the driving school initiative as a comprehensive framework to improve the quality, uniformity, and integrity of driving nationwide.
Earlier, the Rivers State Sole Administrator, Vice Admiral Ibok-Ete Ibas (rtd)commended the FRSC for the training and pledged the state’s support for road safety policies.
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Represented by Mr. Gone Wizo, the Permanent Secretary of the state Ministry of Transportation, Ibas called for behavioural change amongst drivers.
“We are committed to supporting all initiatives that promotes safety on our roads. This we will achieve through legislations, infrastructural investments or policy reforms.
“Considering that transportation safety is not a mere technicality but a moral imperative, we urge operators of driving schools to also instill morals in would-be drivers,” Ibas said
Also in his remarks, Mr. Ahmed Mamuda, State Commander, Nigeria Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA), stressed the need for driving schools and driver’s license issuers to collaborate with the agency.
Mamuda, who was represented by Mrs. Grace Adeniyi, state Deputy Commander Narcotics, said that the collaboration would further clarify issues bordering on the sanity of drivers.
“We must ensure that licenses are not issued to drug-dependent drivers; this can be achieved through collaboration with the NDLEA,” she said.