Insiders have canvassed that President Gooodluck Jonathan should appoint the new Corps Marshall to succeed Osita Chidoka from within the Federal Roads Safety Commission.
According to those who spoke with us, the nomination of Chidoka for a ministerial position is “a clear acknowledgement of his good performance in office. He is an achiever. For the periods we have worked together, he has brought serious added-value to the Commission. It is in recognition of his efforts in the FRSC. The appointment is a plus to FRSC and we say kudos to him. We wish him well in his service to the fatherland.“We are not happy too. How we wished he had the opportunity to finish his tenure. He has groomed everybody to understand him; I don’t think that the selection of his successor will be a problem. Since he is serving in the country, we will always meet him, whenever his advice is needed.”They however argued that appointing a new Corps Marshall from inside the commission would be better in order to ensure continuity.
According to one of them, “The government knows what to do. We will prefer an insider to head the Corps. There should be continuity and improvement on what is on ground. We must continually work towards reducing road traffic crashes in the country. This is the reason why the President needs to appoint somebody from within. We need somebody who understands what to do, and not somebody who would spend two to three years to understudy the activities of the Commission.”
Some other officers of the FRSC also urged President Jonathan to follow the same procedures obtainable in other para-military agencies in appointing the head.
They contended that the appointments of heads of the para-military formations like Nigerian Prisons, The Nigerian Immigration, The Nigerian Customs, The Nigerian Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC), The Nigerian Fire Service, among others, have always been done from within.
They however concede that the appointment of the leadership of the FRSC is the prerogative of the President.
“It is a political appointment and Mr. President has the final say on this matter. But we would plead with him to appoint somebody from within who has a pedigree and track record of achievements,”
The Assistant Corps Marshal further explained that the appointment of somebody from within would enhance professionalism and inspire the staff to work harder. This is against the backdrop that they would aspire to occupy the highest position in the Corps’ leadership.
If the President is going to appoint from within, the implication is that one of the five Deputy Corps Marshals, may be likely be appointed to lead the FRSC. They include Boboye Oyeyemi; A. A Omidiji; A. A Abu; D A Garba and C D Nwachukwu.
Some staff of the commission are however rooting for the Deputy Corps Marshal, in charge of Motor Vehicle Administration, Boboye Oyeyemi to be appointed the new Corps Marshall.
They argue that he has acquired a wealth of experience on the job, having spent over 26 years in the Commission, even as he is said to be a very close confidant of the out-going Corps Marshal. This they argue would ensure a smooth transition. Moreover, they point out that he has stood in for Chidoka on several official functions.
Oyeyemi is a graduate of Harvard University and hails from the South West.
However, an analyst has pointed out that if appointment of the Corps Marshal is based on geo-political zone, it will not favour him, considering that the first Chairman or Corps Marshal of FRSC, Prof Wole Soyinka, is from the South West geo-political zone.
Regardless of these permutations, two past Corps Marshals such as Prof. Wole Soyinka and Major General Halidu Hananiya were appointed from outside the commission to head the Corps. The onus rests squarely on the President to appoint whoever he deems fit.
The Federal Road Safety Commission was created by Decree No. 45 of the 1988 as amended by Decree 35 of 1992 referred to in the statute books as the FRSC Act cap 141 Laws of the Federation of Nigeria (LFN).
Passed by the National Assembly as Federal Road Safety Commission (establishment) Act 2007. The functions of the Commission generally relates to making the highway safe for motorists and other road users, recommending works and devices designed to eliminate or minimise accidents on the highways and advising the Federal and State Governments including the Federal Capital Territory Administration and relevant governmental agencies on the localities where such works and devices are required.
Other functions of FRSC include educating motorists and members of the public on the importance of discipline on the highway.
In particular the Commission is charged with the responsibilities of preventing or minimising accidents on the highway; clearing obstructions on any part of the highways; educating drivers, motorists and other members of the public generally on the proper use of the highways.
It designs and produces the driver’s licences to be used by various categories of vehicle operators as well as Determines from time to time, the requirements to be satisfied by an applicant for a driver’s licence.
The standardization of highway traffic codes, giving prompt attention and care to victims of accidents, conducting researches into causes of motor accidents and methods of preventing them and putting into use the result of such researches, enforcing speed limits for all categories of roads and vehicles and controlling the use of speed limiting devices, among others, are some of the statutory functions of FRSC.
No comments:
Post a Comment