General News
FRSC Moves To Promote Responsible Road Use
The Federal Road Safety Corps, FRSC is to strengthen its Public Education and Enlightenment Department to better influence attitudes and promote a culture of responsible road use among Nigerians.
FRSC Corps Marshal, Mallam Shehu Mohammed, who stated this at the opening of a two-day Advanced Training on the Effective Use of Public Education Tools in Abuja, said for the Corps to achieve its mandate of creating a safer motoring environment and attaining zero traffic deaths, effective communication is indispensable.
Mallam Shehu Mohammed explained that enforcement alone cannot achieve the Corps’ objectives, hence the need to equip Public Education Officers with the skills required for effective communication in shaping the behaviour of the motoring public.
“Information now travels faster than ever, while misinformation and unverified content can spread within minutes,”
According to him, inaccurate messages can create confusion, while poorly managed incidents can undermine public confidence that has been painstakingly built over many years.
The Corps Marshal assured that the FRSC would continue to build capacity in strategic communication, crisis management, digital public enlightenment, multimedia content production, as well as the ethical and professional standards required for effective public engagement.
Earlier, the facilitator of the two-day training and retired Deputy Corps Marshal, Bisi Kazeem, while speaking on the theme, “Strengthening Strategic Communication for Effective Road Safety Advocacy,” reminded Public Education Officers that accurate and compelling messages can strengthen public confidence and save lives.
Deputy Corps Marshal Bisi Kazeem said the programme would improve participants’ writing skills and sharpen their strategic thinking for more effective communication, thereby enhancing the Corps’ ability to fulfil its mandate to the Nigerian public.
“We must understand the power of visuals, data, human-interest stories, radio, television and the various digital platforms.”
“We must also understand the dangers of misinformation, disinformation and poorly framed messages.”
Experts, in their separate presentations, commended the FRSC Corps Marshal, Mallam Shehu Mohammed, for placing a high premium on capacity building for officers and men, noting that the initiative has improved the Corps’ operations and enhanced traffic management across the country.