The Corps Marshall of Federal Road Safety Commission (FRSC), Dr Boboye Oyeyemi, said last Wednesday that any driving school operator caught violating the commission’s guidelines risked six months’ imprisonment.
Oyeyemi, represented by Deputy Corps Marshal Training, Kabir Lawal disclosed this in Ibadan during a one-day workshop organised for driving school operators in the South-West states.
According to the reports, the theme of the workshop was “Promoting Road Safety Through Quality Driver Education in Nigeria”.
The corps marshal said that the commission had the mandate to regulate, register, inspect and accredit driving schools to ensure that operators complied with the standards specified in the guidelines.
He said that applicants for fresh driver’s licence must provide evidence of training at an approved driving school, a learner’s permit accompanied with a certificate of vision acuity test and general medical fitness.
“Section 34 (3) and (4) provides for six months imprisonment for any driving school operator who violets these relevant provisions.
“FRSC has declared war against driving school certificate racketeering and would not spare anyone caught in the act.
“We need the assistance and cooperation of all to succeed in the campaign by putting a firm check on the scourge threatening the security of lives on our roads.”
In his contribution, Osogbo Zonal Commanding Officer, ACM Olumide Olagunju, said the workshop would provide a useful forum for updating the knowledge of the participants.
The National President, Association of Driving School Operators, Mr Jide Owotumise, commended the organiser of the workshop, saying it was something they had been clamouring for.
The Oyo State FRSC Sector Commander, Mrs Cecilia Alao, commended Oyeyemi, Gov. Abiola Ajimobi of Oyo State and other stakeholders that contributed to the success of the workshop.
Declaring the workshop open, Ajimobi of Oyo said that the safety and well-being of the citizenry was the priority of his administration.
Ajimobi, represented by the Commissioner for Works and Transport, Mr Wasiu Dauda, said road traffic crashes posed a challenge to the lives of the people, hence the need to educate driving school operators could not be over-emphasised.
The governor said that the bad attitude of motorists and drivers in over-loading, drinking, speeding among others, must be addressed, adding that thers could be achieved with the training.
Reports said that the FRSC sector commanders in Lagos, Ogun, Osun and Ekiti attended the workshop.
Also present were representatives of the governors of Lagos and Ogun states as well as the Nigeria Police, Immigration, Civil Defence, Prisons, Nigerian Air Force and Nigerian Army among others.