Moses Akaigwe 08072100049
The re-appointment of Dr. Boboye Olayemi Oyeyemi as the Corps Marshal and Chief Executive of the Federal Road Safety Corps (FRSC) for another four years has been applauded by transporters, unions and other road safety stakeholders.
President Muhammadu Buhari had on Tuesday approved the renewal of Oyeyemi’s tenure, which road safety advocates say is a recognition of his impressive performance as the head of the country’s lead agency in road traffic administration and safety management.
Reacting to the news, the founder and managing director of ABC Transport Plc, Mr. Frank Nneji, commended the President for availing Oyeyemi another tenure that would enable him record more achievements in the corps.
A stickler for strict adherence to safety even in his company, Nneji described the reappointment as “very good development, considering Oyeyemi’s giant strides” in the past four years.
Also applauding President Buhari’s action as a welcome development is the road safety non-governmental organisation (NGO) network in Nigeria, which reacted through the Abuja-based Prompt Assistance to Victims of Road Accidents (PATVORA), dedicated to supporting those involved in road crashes across the country.
In a statement, the project adviser of PATVORA, Chude Ojugbana, said, “Dr. Oyeyemi has shown strength in both professional and intellectual conduct that is required to reduce road traffic injuries on the roads of Nigeria. Specifically, under Oyeyemi, the corps has sustained discipline amongst its officers, introduced effective initiatives for curbing road deaths and expanded collaboration with local and international partners.”
Collaboration with road safety stakeholders was also cited by a chieftain of the national Association of Road Transport Owners (NARTO), Ogbogo Aloga, as one of the strong points of Oyeyemi’s administration in the past four years.
The policy of all-inclusiveness and “carrying the stakeholders along” echoed in many of the reactions that greeted the confirmation of Oyeyemi for another four-year tenure.
“We commend President Buhari for renewing Oyeyemi‘s tenure. He is one of the best Corps Marshals the FRSC has ever had,” Ogbogo, who is the Executive Secretary of NARTO, said, citing the restoration of sanity to the issuance of driver’s licence and the introduction of speed limiting devices, as some of the current Corps Marshal’s initiatives.
Ogbogo also hailed the FRSC boss for the corps’ emphasis on proper training and retraining for drivers and the reduction in the rate of accidents. “But, above all, he carries the stakeholders along in many of his initiatives.”
Congratulating the Oyeyemi and the FRSC on his reappointment, the executive Director (Technical), Safety Beyond Borders, Patrick Adenusi, recalled that prior to his appointment, previous chief executives were political appointees.
Adenusi remarked, “The secret of impact is continuity. The appointment and reappointment of Oyeyemi is a welcome development in the growth and development of road safety in Nigeria. His appointment in the first place by the government boosted the commitment of the corps members.
“Prior to his appointment, previous chief executives were political appointees. His choice as the Corps Marshal and reappointment will help others aspire to the corps leadership seat. I congratulate him and the FRSC for all they have done so far. I will urge him to show more commitment to improved road safety on Nigerian road.”
A holder of Doctor of Philosophy (PhD) in Transport Administration from the University of Nigeria, Nsukka (UNN), Dr. Oyeyemi, was first appointed to head the FRSC by the then President Goodluck Jonathan, on July 23, 2014.
A pioneer in the corps that was established in 1988, he has experiences at the national headquarters spanning Zones RS4 headquarters, Lagos, RS3, Yola and RS9, Sokoto where he served as the Zonal Commanding Officer. He was also the Acting Director (Operations) 1999; substantive Director (Operations), 2001; Director (Motor Vehicle Administration), 2003; Assistant Corps Marshal (Operations), 2005; Assistant Corps Marshal (Planning Research and Statistics), 2006; Assistant Corps Marshal (Training Standards and Certification), 2008; Assistant Corps Marshal (Operations), 2009; Deputy Corps Marshal (Operations), 2010 and Deputy Corps Marshal (Motor Vehicle Administration).
Among his honours is Member of the Order of the Federal Republic (MFR), 2006. He is committed to the attainment of the UN Decade of Action for Road Safety (2011 – 2020), reduction of road traffic crashes and fatalities by 50 percent by year 2020, Accra Declaration of reducing road traffic crash and fatalities by 50 percent by year 2015 and reversal of the trend of 43 deaths per 10,000 vehicles to minimum of two deaths per 10,000 vehicles and ultimately placing Nigeria among the league of global safest roads by the year 2020.
“Our expectation at PATVORA is that in the years ahead, Oyeyemi should improve road users’ knowledge, especially drivers, as endorsed by 2007 Accra declaration,” Ojugbana said