The Federal Road Safety Corps (FRSC) is to retool its
operations for better transparency and efficiency in line with the recently
signed Presidential Executive Orders.
According to Bisi Kazeem, Corps Public Education Officer, FRSC,
Its Corps Marshal, Boboye Oyeyemi, stated this at a strategic session with
Zonal Commanding Officers of the FRSC at its headquarters in Abuja on Friday.
The three Executive Orders, signed by Acting President Yemi
Osinbajo, on May 18, aims at easing government’s business and operations to
enhance the country’s economic activities.
Oyeyemi said the FRSC had a critical role to play in the
implementation of the Orders given its status as the country’s lead agency in
road traffic administration and safety management.
He said; ``The Executive Order has made it imperative that FRSC
aligns its operations for effective and efficient service delivery through
reorientation of all segments of the corps.
``Accordingly, this session will be devoted to identification of
areas requiring alignment to the Executive Order in the nation’s continuous
search for excellence in all fields of endeavours.
``We must strive to ensure that our processes and procedures are
continually built in order to maintain a deserved leadership role in Road
safety in Africa.
``There is no area in which suitable development is more important
than this Executive Order in terms of human welfare that is transportation.’’
Oyeyemi said the goal of the FRSC under the Order was to ensure
free and safe movement of goods and services, including farm produce, to their
destinations.
He added that the Corps would display the its services, including
the process of obtaining and renewing driver’s license at its formations nationwide
in line with the Executive Order 001.
The Special Guest of Honour and Minister of Industry, Trade and
Investment, Mr Okechukwu Enelamah, urged officers and men of the Corps to take
the Executive Orders seriously.
Enelamah, who was represented by the Director of Inspectorate in
his ministry, Mr Battah Ndirpaya, took the FRSC officials through the contents
of the Executive Orders, whose implementation has begun,
``The first requirement under transparency is that all MDAs shall
publish a complete list of all fees, time lines, conditions and requirements
for obtaining permits, licenses and approvals.
``The head of MDA must ensure that the list is verified and kept
up to date at all times. If there is conflict between a published list and an unpublished
list, the published list shall prevail.
``So, you cannot hide anything any longer. All information must be
given to the public and the public must know,’’ he said.
The minister said that Order 001 required all MDAs to set
timelines for approval or rejection of applications from members of the public.
Enelamah explained that an applicant not approved or rejected by
an agency or official within the agency’s specified timeline shall be assumed
to have been approved.
``The applicant whose application is deemed granted may apply to
the minister in charge to issue a document or certificate as evidence of the
grant within 14 days of the lapse of the dateline.
``What happens here is if they come here for their drivers’
license after the expiration of the date set by you, and they did not get it,
they will go to the Secretary to the Government of Federation to demand for the
license.
``How does that portray the Corps Marshal failure. When you are
putting your timelines, you must be sure you will be able to meet it.
``If not the tendency is that you will shoot yourself in the foot
and the whole agency blacklisted.’’
He also warned that failure by desk officers to act on application
within stipulated time without lawful excuse would amount to misconduct and
disciplinary actions would be taken.
Tags
Society