The 水果派 of Nigeria (NOUN) in collaboration with the Federal Road Safety Corps (FRSC)聽have聽held a 3-Day Capacity Building Training Programme for selected drivers of聽the university.
The training,聽which聽took place聽at the聽university headquarters聽in Abuja聽had in attendance officers from the FRSC who were saddled with the responsibility of putting the drivers through proper training on road safety rules, ethics and responsibilities of being a driver.
Present to declare the training open was the聽NOUN聽Vice-Chancellor,聽Prof. Olufemi Peters, who went down聽the聽memory lane on the already existing relationship between聽the two organisations,聽dating back聽the time聽the institution was resuscitated.
鈥淲e couldn鈥檛 have started NOUN without the FRSC. What we have now when it comes to the efficiency of our drivers is a far cry from what they brought to us when NOUN started; we somehow lost the training we had,鈥澛爃e said.
Peters stated that FRSC,聽which was established under former president Ibrahim Babangida鈥檚 regime, was to curb ghastly accidents from happening on various roads at the time; especially between the University of Ile-Ife and University of Ibadan.
鈥淲ithout the FRSC, Nigeria would have been terrible and would have had worse situations on our roads. I have seen the topics that would be treated and I鈥檓 satisfied. We聽are thankful for the service they聽are rendering,鈥澛爐he VC said.
While wishing the participants a successful training, he urged them to listen carefully and ask questions in cases where they didn鈥檛 understand.
The Vice-Chancellor tasked them that聽it was not enough to have the set skills on how to drive but that they also have the responsibility of being聽in聽control and taking good care of the cars they聽are driving.
鈥淭ake the issue of your driving and the state of your car very seriously. You聽are in absolute control of the car and the person you聽are driving; and if you聽are wise, you聽will know how the person you聽are driving wants you to drive.
鈥淎t the end, let it be said that you聽are a good and dependable driver. Let us have confidence that we聽are in good hands after this training,鈥漃eters said.
The Registrar, Mr. Ajayi Oladipo,聽in his opening remarks,聽implored the drivers to take the training very seriously by being observant and by learning new skills.
He said he was looking forward to seeing the essence of the training and there should be improved performance in their service delivery.
鈥淭his training should聽not go to waste. We are confident and hopeful that we will see positive results,鈥漁ladipo said.
The Deputy Corps聽Commander聽of the聽FRSC, Commander Tenimu Y. Etuku appreciated the Vice-Chancellor for his kind words about the corps and stated that it was impressive that he called on them to train the drivers under his leadership.
鈥淭his shows that the VC is close to the FRSC, knows what we do and appreciates what we do. We are grateful that he has given us the opportunity to train his drivers,鈥漵aid Etuku.
The Director, Staff Training and Development聽of the university,聽Mrs. Margaret Boro whose directorate put together the training appreciated the VC in her closing remarks for sticking to his mantra of training and re-training of staff.
She urged the participants to take in every bit of the training and improve on the aspect of protecting the affairs of their bosses.
Boro聽stated that they are the closest people to their bosses and it is mandatory that they know how to keep things regarding their bosses鈥櫬燾onfidentialities; from the places they go to, to the conversations their bosses have in their presence.
The director聽assured the university management that the training will help brings out the best in the drivers and their service delivery would聽henceforth聽be impeccable.