Imo protests relocation of FRSC headquarters
By Ben Duru
correspondent, Owerri
Imo State has protested to the Federal
Government over the relocation of the zonal headquarters of the Federal Road
Safety Commission (FRSC) to the neighbouring Abia State.
Secretary to the State Government (SSG),
Ignatius Ummunah, said Governor Achike Udenwa is piqued at the relocation,
which he said is the latest in several removals of federal establishments from
the state.
Some federal agencies have in recent
times been removed from the state. These include the Nigeria Police Zone 9
headquarters and the Federal High Court that were moved from the state to other
states.
Receiving the FRSC Commander for the
South East zone, Mr. Donatus Ede, who paid a courtesy call at Government House,
Owerri, the SSG asked why it is Imo that would always make the sacrifice.
He said Imo lacks significant federal presence and was being
deprived of the few located in the state.
The SSG therefore called on the Federal
Government to reconsider the return of the commission’s headquarters to
the state in the interest of justice and equity, explaining that the state has
borne such relocations with equanimity.
Umunnah assured the FRSC commander of the
preparedness of the government to assist the commission to enable it meet its
obligations both to the people of the state and Nigerians in general. He
commended the FRSC for embarking on a public enlightenment campaign/workshop
for road users and urged them to ensure that motorists complied with existing
traffic rules and regulations.
The SSG stressed the need to monitor the activities of
motorists on the highways so as to reduce accidents.
The FRSC commander praised Udenwa for his
Tripod Vision programme that has played a very complementary role in the work
of the commission. Ede said the government and the commission were partners in
ensuring that the lives of motorists are protected at all times.
He urged the government to continue to assist the commission
to meet its obligations to the public, stressing that it is only through such
that the public can better benefit from the activities of the commission.
