By Kunle SHONUGA
The Federal Road Safety Commission (FRSC) in Bayelsa has pledged synergy with the INEC for easy access to vehicles to convey election materials to the polling units in the state.
The FRSC Corps Marshall, Dr Boboye Oyeyemi, stated this during a one-day workshop, entitled “Towards Ensuring Successful 2019 General Elections: FRSC Roles and Responsibilities’’ organised by the commission for the stakeholders in Yenagoa on Wednesday.
Oyeyemi, represented by Mrs Uche Nwaza, the Assistant Corps Marshall in charge of FRSC RS8, Kogi/Kwara, said the workshop was to define the roles of the officers in the Feb. 16 and March 2 elections.
Other stakeholders at the workshop included the Police, media, Immigration Services, Customs, NDLEA and State Security Services (SSS), among others.
He said that FRSC personnel would assist other security agents and INEC to ensure the much-desired free, fair and credible polls.
Oyeyemi however urged officers of the commission to remain apolitical before, during and after the elections.
“Remember that you are not a political entity, you are to remain apolitical and work as a team to provide the security needed,” the corps marshal stated.
In his remarks, Mr Ikechukwu Igwe, FRSC Sector Commander in Bayelsa, said the major role of the commission was to access and screen the selected drivers of the vehicles conveying the election materials.
“We are going to monitor vehicles’ movement and deployment of the FRSC patrol teams on the election days to guard against violation of restriction order on movement,” he said
Mr Ojong Ojong, SSS’s Deputy Director in the state, in the topic, “Security Challenges Faced during Elections,” identified inadequate funds and lack of retraining of officers as some of the challenges faced during elections.
Ojong however called for more collaboration among security agencies to ensure free and fair polls.
Monday Udoh, INEC’s Residential Commissioner in Bayelsa, represented by Mrs Ayei Obaseki, Head of Legal Services, commended FRSC for organising the workshop and urged all security personnel to work hand-in-hand with one another.
Udoh who spoke on “Role of Security Agencies in the forthcoming Elections,” said that INEC was prepared to conduct acceptable polls.—–NAN
