Arewa Economic Forum hails Tinubu for extending FRSC Corps Marshal’s tenure

The Arewa Economic Forum, AEF, a northern economic think tank comprising intellectuals, business leaders and policy advocates, has commended President Bola Tinubu for approving the extension of the tenure of the Corps Marshal of the Federal Road Safety Corps, FRSC, Shehu Mohammed.

The Forum described the decision as a well-deserved recognition of Mohammed’s performance, competence and contributions to public service.

The extension was conveyed in a letter signed by the Secretary to the Government of the Federation, George Akume, who described the renewed tenure as a fresh call to national duty.

“Therefore, you are expected to utilise your exceptional qualities to uphold the confidence reposed in you by Mr President,” the letter stated.

In a statement signed by its Chairman, Shehu Ibrahim Dandakata, the AEF said the President’s decision was consistent with his administration’s policy of rewarding performance in public office.

It noted that similar tenure extensions had been granted to heads of other paramilitary agencies who had demonstrated outstanding performance.

According to Dandakata, the FRSC under Mohammed has undergone far-reaching reforms driven by policy innovation, digital transformation and improved personnel welfare, repositioning the Corps as a technology-driven and citizen-focused institution.

He said that within less than two years in office, Mohammed had strengthened the Corps’ operational efficiency and enhanced its reputation within Nigeria and across Africa.

The Forum cited the attainment and retention of the ISO 9001:2015 Quality Management System Certification as one of the major achievements under Mohammed, describing the FRSC as the first uniformed organisation in Africa to secure the international quality standard.

The AEF also credited the Corps with consolidating Nigeria’s road safety gains, noting that annual road traffic fatalities had declined from about 42,000 in 1988 to fewer than 6,000, despite population growth, increased economic activity and rising vehicular traffic.

It further cited a 12 per cent reduction in road traffic crashes compared with the corresponding period of the previous year as evidence of the effectiveness of the Corps’ current strategies.

The Forum said Mohammed had also championed several digital innovations, including a paperless electronic document management system, body cameras for patrol personnel, a dedicated mobile application for emergency response and a contactless biometric capture system for driver’s licence processing.

It added that the Corps had upgraded its printing facilities and was now producing an average of 15,000 driver’s licences daily, thereby reducing delays in service delivery.

The AEF also praised the FRSC Mobile Application, describing it as a comprehensive digital platform for real-time crash data management, operational monitoring, road condition reporting and customer feedback.

On personnel management, the Forum said Mohammed had introduced an equitable deployment policy to ensure representation of all states in the appointment of sector and zonal commanding officers.

It added that strategic redeployment of senior officers had further improved operational effectiveness across the country.

The Forum also acknowledged the expansion of FRSC rescue services, saying enhanced emergency response on major highways had contributed to saving more lives through timely intervention.

Dandakata described the reforms as “quiet but transformational”, saying Mohammed had shifted the Corps towards predictive enforcement, technology-driven operations and proactive road safety management.

He said the reforms had helped transform the FRSC from an institution perceived as bureaucratic into one setting new standards for road safety administration in Africa.

Mohammed, a member of the National Institute (mni), is a career officer with more than three decades of service in the FRSC. He is also a chartered accountant and holds the traditional title of Sulukin Arewan Zazzau in the Zazzau Emirate of Kaduna State.

By PRNigeria