Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Malam Muhammad Musa Bello has commissioned a fleet of 22 operational and utility vehicle as well as 60 high speed and high capacity motorcycles for the use of the Directorate of Road Traffic Services.
The vehicles are made up of Ford Ranger and Nissan Pickup trucks, Peugeot Salon cars as well as Innoson manufactured motorcycles.
The minister said that the vehicles were meant to strengthen the capacity of the DRTS and reposition it for better service delivery, reminded officers and men that the FCT Administration as well as residents of the FCT look forward to a safer and better managed traffic enforcement strategy.
Malam Muhammad Bello also reminded the officers of the DRTS that all enforcement of road traffic rules and regulations must be done within the ambits of the law.
“All actions must be done knowing that we are here to serve the people. So, as you relate with even traffic violators, you have to deal with them courteously and show respect for dignity and human rights.”
The minister is not happy with a situation where some road users still break traffic rules within the city with impunity either by operating vehicles that are not road worthy or lacking the skills to properly handle their vehicles.
He lamented that statistics indicate that the FCT had the second highest number of road accidents in the country, caused by road users who engage in over speeding even as he advised road users to always obey all traffic rules.
The Minister also charged the top echelon of the DRTS to make sure that the organization fulfilled its mandate and to reciprocate the gesture of the FCTA in purchasing the equipment and recruiting the needed manpower as required by the DRTS.
He urged them to maintain an efficient and corruption free organization as they will be held individually and collectively responsible for errors.
Muhammad Bello said that discussions had reached very advanced stages with private sector entrepreneurs for the provision of vehicles to fill the gaps created by the restriction of the operations of Tricycles and to replace the aged fleet of high capacity vehicles currently plying FCT roads.
