By Ibironke Ariyo
The Federal Road Safety Corps (FRSC) has sought the Ministry of Petroleum Resources’ assistance in tackling the rising cases of road crashes involving petroleum tankers across Nigeria’s 36 states and the Federal Capital Territory (FCT).
FRSC Corps Marshal, Malam Shehu Mohammed, made this request during a courtesy visit to Sen. Heineken Lokpobiri, Minister of State for Petroleum Resources (Oil), in Abuja on Monday.
Mohammed emphasised the need for logistics support, including patrol vehicles and ambulances, to enhance road surveillance and prompt response to distress calls.
“The FRSC is committed to ensuring safety in the movement of petroleum products, deploying personnel to major depots nationwide to enforce compliance with safety regulations.”
Mohammed commended the Minister for the petroleum industry reforms and acknowledged the importance of sustained collaboration for development in the oil industry, particularly in maintaining peace and harmony in the Niger Delta region.
“As part of the FRSC’s commitment to safety in movement of petroleum products, we have deployed personnel of the corps across the country.
“This is to ensure compliance to safety rules and regulations with particular reference with the policy on safe to load.
“We will not rest on oars until sanity is restored on our highways, “he assured.
The FRSC boss commended the minister for the positive reforms being embarked upon in petroleum industry in Nigeria by the current leadership.
Responding, the Minister of State for Petroleum Resources (Oil), Lokpobiri congratulated the Corps Marshal on his well deserved appointment.
Lokpobiri assured the FRSC of his ministry’s partnership in the campaign for safer road environment.
The minister commended the Corps for its commitment to safer roads as evidenced by the successes recorded in the areas of the Road Transport Safety Standardisation scheme.
This, he said included Drivers Certification and Public Enlightenment programmes that have led to a drastic reduction in the rate of road crashes.
He, however, expressed concerns over the frequent cases of road crashes involving petroleum tankers resulting in fire incidents with loss of lives and property on the highway.
Lokpobiri stressed the need for FRSC to streamline the activities of drivers at the depots to ensure that only tankers that meet the minimum safety standards load the petroleum products from the tanker’s farm.
He also expressed the willingness of the ministry to support the FRSC with logistics and training to enhance the capacity and efficiency of personnel in traffic management.”
He said with the inauguration of the National Road Safety Advisory Council by Vice President Kashim Shettima, stakeholders would work together to ensure safety on the nation’s highways.