The Corps Marshal, Federal Road Safety Commission (FRSC),Dr Boboye Oyeyemi, on Thursday in Abuja said the agency would be using cameras to apprehend offenders.
Oyeyemi, who made this known at the decoration ceremony of newly-promoted Deputy and Assistant Corps Marshals of the FRSC, said the device would be installed on patrol vans.
“Worried by incessant knock-down of staff by `rogue motorists’, the FRSC has decided to push for stiffer penalties for offenders especially with regards to tanker and trailer drivers.
“The corps will deploy cameras in its vehicles to enable water tight prosecution of road traffic offenders.
“The Volkswagen Gulf and Opel Vectra commercial vehicle operators are also in closer focus this year because their activities have become quite a negative narrative in the road sector.
“This will not be allowed to subsist, especially along Abuja-Kaduna and Abuja-Jos axis.
“Increase in mobile court will also be witnessed countrywide and so will be mobile speed control to check excessive speeding along major road corridors,’’ he said.
Oyeyemi said the commission would strive to meet the recommendations of the Road Safety Country Capacity Review which demanded that the corps’ presence should be about 50 kilometres radius interval on the highways.
He added that 20 planned commands would be established in 2017.
He said the corps had approval from President Muhammadu Buhari to recruit more personnel with assurance of improved logistics.
The corps marshal also said that the African Leadership of FRSC in road safety management would be strengthened as the nation kick-starts the implementation of Nigeria Road Safety Strategy.
He said there would be the inauguration of the National Road Safety Advisory Council in April to give full effect to the tenets of the policy thus bolstering road safety management in Nigeria.
Oyeyemi congratulated the newly-promoted personnel, adding that a total of 588 staff emerged successful.
The Secretary to the Government of the Federation (SGF), Mr Babachir Lawal, said the promotion was an attestation to hard work, dedication and commitment to duty by the workers.
Lawal, who was represented by Mr Mohammed Bukar, the Permanent Secretary in the SGF’s office, advised aggrieved personnel to follow approved channel of communication in seeking redress rather than resorting to writing anonymous petitions.
Mr Ahmed Ketso, Deputy Governor of Niger, while congratulating the newly-promoted personnel, thanked the present administration and FRSC for their commitment toward road safety.
Ketso said the elevation of the personnel was a testament to their dedicated and selfless service, urging them to remain steadfast through loyalty and character and pay attention to their families.
“My advice is for you to direct your ideas and talents toward ensuring that road traffic crashes are reduced to the barest minimum and step up enlightenment for Nigerians,’’ he said.
Responding on behalf of the promoted personnel, Mr Dauda Biu, Deputy Corps Marshal, thanked the SGF and the management for the promotion.
Biu said the promotion would remain an article of faith for them and pledged the continued and unflinching loyalty of the personel to the vision and goals of the FRSC. (NAN)