The House of Representatives has passed a bill for the second reading that seeks to establish a special armed squad for the Federal Road Safety Corps (FRSC), marking a significant step toward empowering the agency.
The bill, sponsored by Representatives Abiodun Derin Adesida and Olaide Lateef Muhammed, proposes amending the FRSC Act of 2007 to provide for the creation of the squad and additional provisions to enhance the agency’s operations.
The proposed amendment would give FRSC officers at the rank of Deputy Corp Marshal retirement benefits and ensure the corps has full responsibility for road traffic administration and safety management across Nigeria.
The bill also aims to strengthen the FRSC’s role in preventing and minimizing road traffic accidents, supervising road users, regulating traffic, and clearing obstructions on public roads.
Furthermore, the House unanimously supported the bill after a voice vote, signaling broad approval among lawmakers for the measure.
In addition to the bill, the House also adopted a motion by Rep. Garba Ibrahim Muhammad, urging the FRSC to embrace technology in its enforcement activities.
The motion calls on the FRSC to implement automated traffic enforcement systems and advanced analytics to improve safety and reduce traffic violations.
It also encourages the evaluation of these technologically-assisted methods to determine their effectiveness in improving road safety.
The bill and the motion are now set to move to the House Committee on FRSC for further consideration. If passed, the FRSC will be better equipped to manage road traffic issues and ensure public safety through both armed enforcement and technological innovation.