Abuja: The Federal Road Safety Corps (FRSC) has been selected as the host of the Permanent Secretariat of the African Association of Road Safety Lead Agencies (AARSLA). This significant development was announced during the 1st General Assembly of the Association, which took place in Lusaka, Zambia.
According to News Agency of Nigeria, the FRSC secured 45 per cent of the total votes in a highly contested election. The election, organised by the Sub-Saharan Africa Transport Policy Programme (SSATP), saw the FRSC triumph over Zambia, which garnered 40 per cent of the votes, Senegal with 10 per cent, and the Democratic Republic of Congo with five per cent. Malam Shehu Mohammed, the Corps Marshal of FRSC, emphasized that this victory is a landmark achievement for Nigeria and highlights the Corps' leadership in road safety management across the continent.
The new hosting right mandates the FRSC to appoint the Executive Secretary responsible for the day-to-day operations of the association. Mohammed expressed his gratitude to the delegates for their confidence in Nigeria and assured that the Corps' digitalisation policy would be leveraged to enhance the operations of the Secretariat. Prior to the election, Nigeria voluntarily gave up its position as Second Vice President in the Interim Executive Committee of AARSLA to bid for the Secretariat.
The Lusaka meeting also brought about a realignment of regional representation, with Kenya retaining the Presidency, Benin Republic as the First Vice President, Cameroon as the Second Vice President, Cape Verde as the Third Vice President, and Zambia as the Fourth Vice President. Mohammed expressed his delight at the recognition accorded to Nigeria through the FRSC, stating that it underscores the Corps' leadership role as a model in Africa.
SSATP has pledged to support the establishment of an internationally standardised Secretariat at the FRSC Headquarters in Abuja. The Corps Marshal thanked the Federal Government for its continued support and committed Nigeria to fully achieving the objectives of AARSLA.
The News Agency of Nigeria reports that Mohammed attended the meeting along with Mr Lateef Ramoni, Focal Person of the West African Road Safety Organisation (WARSO), and Dr Yusuf Suberu, representing Nigerian CSOs and NGOs. The General Assembly is anticipated to develop an action plan aimed at reducing road traffic fatalities and serious injuries by 2030, in alignment with global targets.
The AARSLA initiative is part of the SSATP, a programme supported by the World Bank that collaborates with the African Union Commission (AUC) and the United Nations Economic Commission for Africa (UNECA) to formulate transport policies across 43 member countries.