Road Safety: FRSC Boosts Officers’ Communication Skills

The Federal Road Safety Corps (FRSC) is set to strengthen its Public Education and Enlightenment Department to better influence attitudes and promote a culture of responsible road use among Nigerians.

The FRSC Corps Marshal, Mallam Shehu Mohammed, stated this at the opening of a two-day Advanced Training on the Effective Use of Public Education Tools in Abuja. He said effective communication was indispensable for the Corps to achieve its mandate of creating a safer motoring environment and attaining zero traffic deaths.

Mallam Shehu Mohammed explained that enforcement alone could not achieve the Corps’ objectives, stressing the need to equip Public Education Officers with the necessary skills to communicate effectively and shape the behaviour of the motoring public.

“Information now travels faster than ever, while misinformation and unverified content can spread within minutes,” he said.

According to him, inaccurate messages could create confusion, while poorly managed incidents could undermine public confidence that had been painstakingly built over the 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 could 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,” he said.

“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. They noted that the initiative had improved the Corps’ operations and enhanced traffic management across the country.