REIGNITING THE LIGHTS OF SPECIAL MARSHALS

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PROTOCOL……

It is with great pleasure that I address this great audience of volunteers and their collaborators on the auspicious occasion of another opportunity to improve the competences of our Special Marshals. It is also a platform to further create awareness on road safety . Let me appreciate the Special Marshals that have been with us for a long time now as well as those who are just joining us. You have chosen a noble path of volunteerism as you contribute your quotas to safer community. The Special Marshal initiative is a scheme where the volunteers are equipped with the required knowledge and empowered by the law on traffic management and road safety administration, encompassing education, researches, rescue, traffic control, arrests and prosecution, among other responsibilities. It is novel and proudly Nigerian. Let us salute the vision of the founding fathers of this great organization for this foundation of community policing in Nigeria.

The civil populace should partner officials of the state in evolving the right strategies to solve the problems of the community and also get involved in implementing the strategies to create safer culture. We all have rights to our lives and also we should as a matter of right join hands to protect this right. Our lives are sacrosanct. The 1999 Constitution of the Federal Federal Republic of Nigeria as well as the universal declaration of human rights which Comity of Nations subscribe to and the African Charter on Human and People’s Rights which all African Countries are signatories and banded all provide us certain rights of which Right to Life is key. Section 33 of the Nigerian Constitution is on Right to life. It posits that every person has a RIGHT TO LIFE, save in execution of the sentence of a court in respect of a criminal offence of which he has been found guilty. We must collectively find solution to the wanton killings on our roads and preserve the right. The Special Marshals are germane in the protection of this inviolable right.

The Special Marshals’ 2019 Sectorial Workshop has the theme “The FRSC Special Marshals, Yesterday, Today and Tomorrow” . Yes, we need to look at the past to understand where we came from, then benchmark the present activities against what we used to do and look into the future with great hopes. I am privileged to have witnessed the beginning of this laudable scheme, arguably the first of such experience in the world and I have been involved for over three decades. I could still remember the excitement of the first sets of special marshals. They were always on the road controlling traffic. They willingly exercised their powers of arrest as they get scheduled for patrol. Those in the universities and other higher institutions were turning in researches on road traffic crashes, causes, effects and control. They were providing feedback on road conditions. They were always at the terminals (motor parks) to educate drivers, distributing their self sponsored public enlightenment handbills. These men with visible means of livelihood were assisting the Corps in terms of funding some of our activities and logistics provision. Some individuals were even providing the Corps patrol vehicles and tow trucks. These men were purely selfless. Many of them have gone to be with the Lord. May we please rise and give a minute silence for all the departed special marshals. May their souls continue to rest in peace. And to those of the old special marshals that are still living and contributing in one way or the other, you are greatly appreciated. May the Lord continue to bless you all.

Now to the present ones, many of you are seated here for this workshop. You have been chosen as men of proven integrity and we believe your participation will further enhance road safety in your different communities. Some of you have contributed positively and you are still making efforts to further enhance road safety activities in your immediate environment. We thank you all. However, I need to point out here that the interests, commitment and dedication are waning. The visibility of the special marshals on our roads has greatly reduced. We don’t get to have the support as it used to be. Research reports are no longer coming in from those in academia. I no longer see often or hear of Special Marshals getting involved in blood donation drive to add blood to our blood bank to save lives of crash victims . Not many special marshals still get involved in education of road users.

Can we imagine that some special marshals believe that they should be paid salaries as they always ask, “what is in it for us? “ “ what are we benefiting?” Their daily demand for gains from the system attacks the basic foundation of essence of volunteerism. In some places, the Scheme has been hijacked by few individuals who have little respect for the guidelines put in place for smooth running of the Units. They have been there for ages controlling the affairs of the group with little or nothing to show in terms of accountability. Some use the group for personal gains . Many have developed apathy and just answering special marshals when they want to evade arrests after contravening traffic laws. It has become a status symbol for many. They no longer attend meetings, public enlightenment rallies and other activities of the group. Ask them why it is so, they have several excuses, yet they don’t want to honorably leave to give space for the teeming others with burning ambition to genuinely serve humanities .

How did we get here? I believe we are all culpable. The recruotment process is sometimes flawed. The right people are not brought in. May be the screening exercise is not thorough enough . Regular and Special Marshals rivalry rather than collaboration is also rearing it’s head. Accountability guidelines are not strictly enforced as some of the units are run like personal estates and without sanctions. Some of the regular marshals are benefiting collaborators in the rot . Sad.developments.

I have been an active participant in one way or the other in the activities of special marshals in the Corps from the beginning. I can also say, it is not all gloom. We have good stories to tell. We have distinguished, highly placed individuals and great men of honour daily contributing positively. Many Special Marshals are still highly committed and dedicated. The fire is still burning. Some of you are also seated here. Honestly, the success story of the FRSC is incomplete without the valuable contributions of special marshals fully stressed. They give their time, resources and all they are endowed with to help in evolving better road culture in Nigeria. These are in the majority, the selfless ones. Please join me in applauding these wonderful people. They must however join the leadership of the Corps to make things better.

Sure the Corps is not unaware of the challenges facing the operations of the Scheme and these are being addressed frontally. We are aware that insecurity in some places have affected your visibility on the highways. The management of the Corps is also aware of the need to rejig the system. The Special Marshals guidelines are being tinkered with for better results. Security and welfare of special marshals are of paramount interest to the Corps Marshal, Dr Boboye Oyeyemi NPoM, mni and his management. We all need to cooperate fully as we develop a new spirit for the overall benefits of the Nigerian road users.

Let me come home to address our expectations on this Workshop. You will be reminded of the different initiatives of the Corps and we will let you know how your diverse backgrounds and great experiences will help the attainment of our organizational mandates. I hope these will raise your productivity and reignite your fire of patriotism, commitment and realization of the essence of volunteerism. The Zonal Command is determined to reorientate special marshals in Sokoto, Kebbi and Zamfara states. In line with the RSHQ directives, thorough screening exercises leading to identification of those who have lost steam and removal of such individuals have been carried out. We have brought on board highly qualified and competent new members. We will protect you while performing your duties. No case of assault of any Special Marshal on duty will not attract prosecution. We will seek to jail the aggressors. We will also pursue integrity of your operations. Any special marshal involved in bribery, incivility to members of the public and other misdemeanor will also be strictly dealt with in accordance with the extant regulations. Training will also be fully pursued while we have the assurances of our National Headquarters of improved welfare and motivational activities. We believe the Scheme will continue to be relevant as we jointly put our knowledge, resources and other endowment together to make our roads safer. We must develop zero tolerance for road crashes as we create communities where no crash results in any fatality. That is where we want to be, the future.

Permit me at this juncture, to call on each and every one of you to support Road Safety initiatives that are geared towards saving lives and property of our citizens, which is the primary responsibility of any Government or Society. Let me also appreciate the Kebbi State Government for the support for the FRSC in the state. We thank His Excellency, Sen. Abubakar Atiku Bagudu, mni for his numerous contributions towards securing lives and property of the people of the State. The wonderful contributions of all the security agencies and other Stakeholders in Kebbi State are also noted and applauded. The Corps Marshal Dr Boboye Oyeyemi, NPoM, FCILT, mni sends his greetings and asked me to specifically appreciate the contributions of all. Let us remember Safety is a collective responsibility.