By CHARLES IWUOHA

The Federal Government, on Thursday, lauded the Federal Road Safety Corps (FRSC) management for the judicious use of its scarce resources to uplift the status of the Corps.

The Secretary to the Government of the Federation (SGF), Mr. Boss Mustapha, said this while inaugurating academic activities for Senior Course 1, FRSC Command and Staff College, Udi in Enugu State.

Mustapha, represented by the Minister of Labour and Employment, Dr Chris Ngige, also commended the Corps management for providing a focus and purposeful leadership that continue to yield dividends to the Nigerian people.

“The Federal Government will continue to support the Corps to maintain its enviable height of being the first rated road safety Corps in Africa as well as playing a leading role in road safety in the world.

“We as a government will continue to support and provide logistics and funding for the Corps to improve and expand in all aspects of road safety administration within the country and Africa,” he said.

Mustapha, while lauding the Enugu State Government for providing the land for the FRSC Academy in Udi, urged other south-east governors to emulate Enugu State on its support to Federal Government establishments and organizations.

He also appealed to the Enugu State government to avail the Corps additional 15 hectares of land for its anticipated expansion and demand for FRSC Academy, Udi to become a full fledged university.

Earlier, Governor Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi said that it gladdens the heart of the Enugu State Government that the FRSC had continued to deliver on its mandate.

Ugwuanyi, represented by the Secretary to the State Government, Prof. Simeon Ortuanya, hailed the Corps for putting structures, man-power and logistics for the smooth takeover of its senior course at its command and staff college.

“I appreciate the Corps marshal for his dedication to move the FRSC forward and put in place legacy projects and programmes that will stand the test of time like the Senior Course.

“The state government is committed to its partnership and development of the FRSC, especially its academy domicile in the state in the Udi community,” he said.

Speaking, Sen. Danjuma Lar, Chairman, Senate Committee on Federal Character and Inter-governmental Affairs, commended the FRSC for focusing on training and re-training of its staff for improved productivity.

“With all I have seen today and multiple projects commissioned today, it is clear that the FRSC management is doing very well,” Lar said.

The Chairman, House of Representative Committee on Road Safety, Mr Majuwa Folarin, extolled the FRSC Corps marshal for using opportunities of collaboration with state governments and organisations to achieve laudable projects.

“The house of representatives will continue to support the Corps to continue to succeed and make much impact both in the country and Africa at large,” Folarin said.

In a goodwill message, Chief of Defense Staff, Gen. Lucky Irabor, said that the senior course one would provide competencies that would help provide solutions to the nation’s security challenges.

“I charge the participants to be dedicated and come out with pragmatic ideas that will reduce or eliminate traffic as well as contribute to improve security generally,” Irabor, who was represented by Maj.-Gen. E.A. Njoku, said.

In a welcome address, the Corps Marshal of the FRSC, Dr Boboye Oyeyemi, said that the FRSC Command and Staff College was set out to train officers in basic command and staff techniques.

According to Oyeyemi, the college will develop the intellectual attributes of the officers to cope with their future appointments and the changes that are inevitable in the years ahead, given the dynamics of road safety management and the society.

“By this process, the Corps seeks to develop a crop of intelligent officers who are active, organised, purposefully focused, deft in the art of negotiation, analytical, both individual and social as well as well-adjusted to their environment.

“The courses will equally provide the ambiance for enhanced networking on national, regional and global levels as well as to put the officers in good stead in the institutional leadership succession plan,” he said.

The Commandant of the College, Assistant Corps Marshal (ACM) Nsebong Akpabio, said that the college had all it takes to ensure a productive training meant to impact on the participants.

“The college is grateful to the FRSC management, Federal and Enugu State governments for providing a conducive environment for a hitch-free training session for the first set of senior course participants in the college,” Akpabio said.

Highlights of the event included commissioning of Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi Administrative Blocks; Osita Chidoka Multi-purpose Hall; Olu Agunloye Hall; Brig.-Gen. H.A. Hananiya Chalets and other ring roads within the academy.

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