WARSO Seeks $200,000 From AfDB for Regional Vehicle Database

• WARSO Seeks $200,000 From AfDB for Regional Vehicle Database

The West African Road Safety Organisation has approached the African Development Bank to assist members with $200,000 for the initiation of a regional database for vehicles, RTC and drivers licences, the Plateau State Sector Commander, Federal Road Safety Corps, Patricia Emeordi, has said.

According to her, under the arrangement, member countries will fulfil the payment of $100,000 as counterpart funds to roll out the project, which has been jointly packaged with the ECOWAS Commission.

Emeordi stated these in Jos during the commemoration of this year’s WARSO Day, where she advised Nigerians to see road safety as everybody’s business.

She said, “On the Regional Vehicle Administration and Information System, WARSO, in conjunction with ECOWAS Commission, initiated a regional database for vehicles, RTC and driver licences to ensure uniformity in all the member states.

“The AfDB was approached to assist members with $200,000, while member states will fulfil payment of $100,000 as counterpart funds to roll out the project. This is in line with the ECOWAS policy on networking on all its policies towards achieving the regional integration treaty.”

She also said WARSO had adopted the teaching of road safety as a subject in primary and secondary schools in the West African sub-region to teach children basic rules of traffic management.

Consequently, questions on road safety as a subject will, henceforth, be included in the West African Secondary School Examination tests in accordance with the decision taken during the Annual General Meeting of WARSO held in Ouagadougou, Burkina Faso in October 2013.

The commencement of the subject, in conjunction with Plateau State Universal Basic Education Board, she added, had reached an advanced stage.

The Plateau FRSC Sector Commander emphasised that to promote road safety education in schools in the sub-region, WARSO adopted its incorporation in primary and secondary schools.

She added, “This resolution has achieved some levels of progress in Ghana and Nigeria. The organisation also advocated the inclusion of questions on road safety in WASSCE in accordance with the decision taken at the Annual General Meeting of WARSO held in Ouagadougou, Burkina Faso in October 2013.

“Road safety as a subject should be infused into existing subjects like English Language and Mathematics, and because of shortage funds, we have to get the teachers who are already in the schools to teach it. The children will be taught basic rules of traffic management. The idea is to track them young. We are in contact with SUBEB and other stakeholders and very soon, it will commence in Plateau State.”