APRI urges FCT Minister to rebrand VIOs as Road Traffic Officers to curb rising accidents

The Accident Prevention and Rescue Initiative (APRI) has called on the Honourable Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Barrister Ezenwo Nyesom Wike, alongside road traffic managers and other stakeholders in the FCT, to urgently initiate the rebranding of Vehicle Inspection Officers (VIOs) and deploy alternative personnel to be designated as “Road Traffic Officers” to operate on FCT roads.

The Executive Director of the organisation, Ambassador Fidelis Nnadi, made this known in a statement issued to journalists on Monday in Abuja. He expressed optimism that the rebranding and deployment of properly trained and well-equipped Road Traffic Officers across Abuja would significantly help in reducing the increasing rate of road traffic crashes, injuries, and fatalities on FCT roads.
In the statement titled “Improving Road Safety and Traffic Management in FCT: A Case for Rebranding with the Nomenclature of ‘Road Traffic Officers’ of FCT,” APRI highlighted the current challenges affecting traffic management in the nation’s capital.
According to the organisation, the FCT has been experiencing serious traffic congestion and road safety issues, largely attributed to the judicial order that banned VIOs from road operations. It noted that these challenges have negatively impacted the safety of road users within the territory.
Based on this, APRI proposed the deployment of alternative personnel to be known as Road Traffic Officers of the FCT as a viable solution to address the situation.
Further outlining its position, Ambassador Nnadi called on the FCT Minister and relevant stakeholders to consider key recommendations in the interest of public safety. These include improved traffic management through the rebranding of officers of the Directorate of Road Traffic Services (DRTS FCT) as “Road Traffic Officers,” who would oversee traffic administration, manage traffic flow, reduce congestion, and minimize accidents.
The organisation also emphasized that the introduction of additional personnel would enhance surveillance and response to incidents, thereby improving security on FCT roads. It added that the use of alternative officers would ensure more efficient allocation of resources and reduce the burden on existing law enforcement agencies.
APRI further recommended that the proposed Road Traffic Officers should serve as a replacement for the banned VIOs, ensuring continued enforcement of traffic regulations and vehicle safety standards. It also noted that these officers would help improve revenue generation by enforcing payment of tolls, levies, and other penalties imposed on traffic offenders in line with court directives.
The group appealed to the Minister to support and fast-track the passage of the existing Road Traffic Bill of the DRTS FCT, which has been pending before the National Assembly since 2019, to provide a legal framework for the operations of the Directorate and the proposed officers.
Additionally, Nnadi urged the Minister to demonstrate commitment to the safety of road users by supporting the rebranding initiative and closing existing gaps in traffic management through the introduction of Road Traffic Officers (RTOs).
He also called for the issuance of an Executive Order to facilitate the immediate rebranding of the officers pending the passage of the DRTS FCT Bill by the National Assembly.
Nnadi concluded by urging the Minister to prioritise the safety of road users and collaborate with existing structures within the DRTS FCT to implement the proposed measures, with the goal of achieving a safer and more efficient traffic management system in the nation’s capital.