The Corps Marshal of the Federal Road Safety Corps (FRSC), Mallam Shehu Mohammed, mni, FCTA, has charged frontline Marshals operating across Lagos and Ogun States to uphold professionalism, discipline, sound judgement and effective communication in the discharge of their duties.
The Corps Marshal gave the charge in a keynote address delivered by the Zonal Commanding Officer, RS2 Headquarters, Assistant Corps Marshal Mathew O. Olonisaye, who represented him at the opening of a two-day Corpswide Professional Repositioning Programme for the Marshal Cadre of RS2 Headquarters.
The programme, themed “Repositioning Marshals for Effective Service Delivery,” brought together personnel across the RS2 operational environment to strengthen professional conduct, operational effectiveness and public-oriented service delivery.
Speaking at the event, the Sector Commander, RS2.1 Lagos Sector Command, Corps Commander Kehinde Ganiyu Hamzat, said the rapidly changing road safety environment required corresponding improvements in the attitude, knowledge and professionalism of personnel.
According to him, “Modern Nigeria deserves repositioned personnel.”
Hamzat noted that roads are becoming increasingly busy, road users are more informed, while public expectations of government institutions continue to evolve.
He commended the Corps Marshal for initiating the professional repositioning programme and urged participants to approach the sessions with open minds, stressing the need to learn, unlearn and relearn in order to remain relevant and effective in carrying out their statutory responsibilities.
In his keynote address, Mallam Shehu Mohammed stressed that the conduct of every FRSC personnel has a direct impact on the image, credibility and public confidence in the Corps.
He said the demanding operational environments in Lagos and Ogun States make professionalism particularly important, noting that the way Marshals communicate with road users, enforce traffic regulations, manage conflicts and respond to difficult situations directly affects public perception of the Corps.
The Corps Marshal explained that the programme was designed to equip Marshals with the knowledge, attitude, discipline and sound judgement required to deliver effective road safety services.
He emphasized that the success of the programme would not be measured solely by the quality of presentations during the training, but by the extent to which the lessons translate into improved conduct and performance across departments, offices and commands.
Mohammed therefore charged participants to perform their duties with professionalism, courage and fairness, while remaining conscious of the consequences of their actions.
He reminded them that the FRSC bears the critical responsibility of protecting lives and property and promoting safer roads across Nigeria, stressing that every interaction between a Marshal and a road user presents an opportunity to either strengthen or undermine public confidence in the Corps.
Also speaking, one of the facilitators and a retired senior officer of the Corps, Deputy Corps Marshal KAB Lawal (Rtd.), described the programme as an opportunity to “renew, rejig and rebuild” the professional capacity of personnel.
Lawal said professional repositioning requires continuous reflection on existing practices, willingness to embrace positive change and renewed commitment to the values and statutory mandate of the Corps.
Other distinguished facilitators included Deputy Corps Marshal Godwin Ogagaoghene (Rtd.) and Assistant Corps Marshal Rotimi Adeleye (Rtd.), alongside serving senior officers of the Corps.
The participation of retired senior officers provided personnel with an opportunity to draw on institutional experience and practical lessons on professional conduct and effective service delivery.
The two-day programme is expected to provide a platform for knowledge sharing, experience exchange, professional reflection and practical repositioning, with emphasis on translating lessons from the training into improved service delivery across the RS2 operational environment.
Since assuming office as Corps Marshal, Mallam Shehu Mohammed, mni, has continued to emphasise the professional development of personnel as part of efforts to strengthen road safety administration, improve interactions with road users and enhance the protection of lives and property on Nigerian roads.