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Minister of State Petroleum join forces with FRSC on Road Safety Campaign

Published

2 years ago

October 14, 2024

Joel Ajayi

In what seems to be another milestone in inter-agency collaboration, the Federal Road Safety Corps and the Ministry of Petroleum Resources (Oil) have reached a compromise to begin a robust partnership, geared towards intensifying existing efforts embedded in the campaign for safer roads in Nigeria.

The partnership was birthed during the visit of the Corps Marshal FRSC, Shehu Mohammed, to the Honourable Minister of State for Petroleum Resources (oil), Senator Heineken Lokpobiri in his office on Monday 14 October 2024.

In the course of the conversation that ensued, the Honourable Minister assured the Corps Marshal of his ministry’s readiness to partner with the Corps in the campaign for safer roads in Nigeria.

While congratulating the Corps Marshal on his well deserved appointment, the Minister expressed optimism that with the inauguration of the National Road Safety Advisory Council (NRSS), by the Vice President last week, stakeholders would work harmoniously to ensure safety on the nation’s highways. He commended the FRSC for its commitment to road safety as evidenced by the successes recorded in the areas of Road Transport Safety Standardization Scheme, Drivers certification and other public enlightenment programs that have led to drastic reduction in the rate of road traffic crashes.

The Minister however, expressed concerns with frequent cases of crashes involving petroleum tankers some of which resulted in fire incidents with great loses to lives and property. He further stressed that even as the Ministry would have preferred that the use of pipelines as veritable means of transporting the petroleum products, the current hazards as well as the cost implications involved in replacing the pipes have made that impracticable at the moment. He therefore solicited the support of the FRSC to properly streamline the activities of drivers at the depots with a view to ensuring that only tankers that meet the minimum safety standards load the petroleum products from such facilities.

The Minister expressed the willingness of the Ministry to support the FRSC with logistics and training to enhance the capacity and efficiency of its personnel in road traffic management.
Earlier in his remarks, the Corps Marshal commended the Minister for the positive reforms being embarked upon in petroleum industry in Nigeria by the current leadership. He noted the existing peace and harmony in the Niger Delta areas and requested for collaboration for sustained peace and development in the oil industry.

The Corps disclosed that as part of the FRSC’s commitment to safety in movement of petroleum products, personnel of the Corps are being deployed to major depots across the country to ensure compliance to safety rules and regulations with particular reference with the policy on safe to load. He requested the Minister to assist the Corps with some logistics including patrol vehicles and ambulance for enhanced road surveillance and prompt response to distress calls.

The meeting which had in attendance some Directors of the Ministry of petroleum also has some principal officers of the FRSC in attendance with both sides agreeing on the need to sustain the partnership for safety on the nation’s highways and stability in the transportation of the petroleum products.

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Musawa Seeks Broader Significance for June 12

Published

14 hours ago

October 3, 2026

The Gleamer

Joel Ajayi

The Minister of Art, Culture, Tourism and the Creative Economy, Hannatu Musa Musawa, Esq., says June 12 must be remembered as a sacrifice that gave Nigerians democracy, beyond its status as a public holiday.

In a statement signed on Saturday by the Senior Assistant Media & Publicity to the Honourable Minister,Federal Ministry of Art, Culture, Tourism and the Creative Economy Dr Nneka Ikem Anibeze Ph.D in Abuja.

Musawa stated this at the national premiere of “MKO”, a film on Chief Moshood Abiola, held at the Wole Soyinka Centre for Culture and Creative Arts, Lagos, to mark Nigeria’s 66th Independence Anniversary.

She said 33 years after June 12, 1993, many young Nigerians know it only as a holiday, but the film turns it back into memory.

“For too many young Nigerians, June 12 is simply a public holiday. This film tells them that our democracy did not arrive by chance. It was fought for. It was defended. It was paid for. This documentary is in honour of the heroes of June 12, the men and women who gave their lives for the mandate of June 12, 1993 and for the democracy Nigeria enjoys today,” the Minister said.

Musawa hailed President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, Chief Host, for his participation in the June 12 struggle and paying the price in exile, adding that Nigeria’s creative industry will keep telling the story of its democracy with courage.

“Through film and the creative economy, Nigeria will preserve its history. A nation that forgets its past loses its way to the future. Nigeria has a story and our story deserves to be told,” she said.

Earlier, the director of the investigative documentary, Ose Oyamendan, said the film was in honour and memory of heroes who fought for Nigeria’s democracy.

“There was Hope ’93 and now there is Renewed Hope. There was a man who sacrificed his life so we may have democracy and there is a man who almost lost his life fighting for democracy who is now helping build a lasting democracy.

“There was a great man called Bashorun MKO Abiola and there is now another great man called Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu. Democrats. Nationalists. Nation builders. Leaders of men and women. We must never forget our story. We must always honour and remember our heroes,” Oyamendan said.

Top government officials including President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, the wife of the President Senator Oluremi Tinubu; Senate President Godswill Akpabio, Speaker of the House of Representatives Tajudeen Abbas, Chairman of the Nigeria Governors’ Forum AbdulRahman AbdulRazaq, Chief of Staff to the President Rt. Femi Gbajabiamila, state Governors, members of the National Assembly, Ministers and other distinguished dignitaries attended the premiere.

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