NOA, FRSC moves to train 300 Personnel to end ember month accident
The Federal Road Safety Corps (FRSC) Plateau State Command, said it would train 300 personnel of the National Orientation Agency (NOA), as part of its collaborative efforts to reduce accidents on the roads and forestall possible conflict in the state.
The Plateau FRSC Sector Commander, Mrs Patricia Emeordi said, the corps was partnering NOA, because of its grass root mass mobilization strength that would ensure traffic messages reached interior communities with high vehicular movement in these ember months.
Declaring the training open in Jos, Emeordi said FRSC was committed to ensuring zero-death record in case of accidents especially, during the yuletide.
She noted that the feat was only achievable through inter agency cooperation and sensitization of road users via partnership with NOA.
In his remarks, Mr Bulus Dabit, the State NOA Director, said that accidents could also be a conflict trigger in societies particularly in Nigeria, where people have different misconceptions about causes of some accidents.
“It is worrisome that most times when accidents occur, mob at such scenes often enquire the identity of the parties involved, saying where is he from, what tribe, religion and then would probably harm other road users with such similar identities.
“We believe that the training in partnering with FRSC would ensure that NOA officials stationed in strategic areas and equipped on the skills of a road safety officer to avert possible mob reactions through engagement with community and religious leaders to quell youths on negative reactions.
“NOA also has data base of traditional leaders; we are trained peace builders, have contact with security agencies in all the 17 LGCs and are expected to use such relationship to avert possible conflicts.
“We will also now use the acquired knowledge from the training to help to coordinate traffic flow in chaotic situations in the state.
“NOA officers are familiar with community gatekeepers and can mobilize them before the arrival of relevant agencies.
“We recommend dialogue as the more appropriate mechanism for conflict resolutions than the application of force,” he said.
A participant, Mr. Nuhu Chuwang, an NOA Assistant Chief Programme Officer, said the training would equip them with the requisite skills to act as special road marshals especially, “in local governments where the FRSC do not have offices”.
Our correspondent reports that the capacity building would hinge on seven topics that bother on Road Transport Safety Standardization and Nigerian Road Safety Strategy (2016-202) among others.
Chuwang added that NOA would in addition, organize programmes such as ‘catch them Young’, a programme for school children to learn early road use and signs; ‘Do no harm workshop’, for traditional and community leaders across local governments on mediating conflict, drugs and illegal migrant Inter-agency programme.
Kingsley Chukwuka, Jos
