The Federal Road Safety Corps, FRSC, has directed its officers to impound rickety vehicles plying Nigerian roads.
Boboye Oyeyemi, FRSC Corps Marshal, gave the directive in a statement issued by Bisi Kazeem, the Corps Public Relation Officer, on Tuesday.
The Corps Marshal said the clampdown is an integral part of efforts to further reduce road accidents in the country.
According to Kazeem, the zonal commanding officers and sector commanders have been given an express directive to commence a nationwide arrest, impoundment, and prosecution of owners or operators of such vehicles.
He said the operation, which will be implemented nationwide, forms part of the corps’ commitment towards enhancing its operational activities and creating a safer motoring environment.
The corps marshal said the development is premised on the realisation of FRSC’s 2021 strategic goals of reducing road traffic crashes by 15 per cent and fatalities by 20 per cent.
Oyeyemi said motorable vehicles are important to the health, safety and economic benefits of drivers and commuters across Nigeria.
He urged motorists to ensure regular maintenance of their vehicles in view of inherent traffic hazards associated with broken down vehicles, especially at night.
He warned that severe punishment awaits anyone apprehended, including impoundment of the vehicle, payment of fines, and compulsory road safety education.
The FRSC boss also urged the public to assist the corps by reporting any rickety vehicle sighted on the road through the FRSC toll-free numbers 122 or tune into the national traffic radio 107.1FM.
Meanwhile, the Lagos State Government says it plans to phase out yellow buses in accordance with its transportation masterplan of the state.
Commissioner for Transportation, Dr Frederic Oladeinde, said this earlier in the month, adding that the busses would be replaced by blue buses.
He said, “We are reforming the bus sector and over time, Lagos will phase out the yellow buses because the yellow buses are not conducive for a mega city like Lagos. That is why we are coming with the blue buses you see around.
“We are inviting the private sector to participate in the provision of public transport services. We are also deploying technology just to ensure that we can up our game in terms of efficiency.”
Responding to questions raised regarding the Apapa gridlock, the commissioner said the government was committed to ending the traffic menace by committing hectares of land in Iganmu and Ogun as transit truck parks while relying on the Eto app which would be deployed on February 27.
He said, “Lagos State in collaboration with the Nigerian Ports Authority invited a concessionaire and that concessionaire developed an Eto app that will be deployed February 27.
“Lagos State has committed 31 hectares of land in Iganmu called the Bola Ahmed Tinubu Truck Park to complement what is at Lilypond and we are talking to the Ogun State Government to secure a land in Ogere.”
Similarly, Oladeinde said, the state had come up with a parking strategy named the Lagos State Parking Strategy. He disclosed that a parking authority had been set up with the mandate to regulate parking on the roads.
