The Sierra Leone Road Safety Authority (SLRSA) has called on its Nigerian counterpart to assist it in strengthening and building its road management authority.

The Executive Director of SLRSA, Ibrahim Sannoh, who made the call when he led a fact-finding mission to the Federal Road Safety Corps (FRSC) in Abuja on Wednesday, said assistance from FRSC would make road administration in Sierra Leone more effective.

Mr Sannoh said it was for the same reason decided to seek timely intervention, capacity building, and logistic support from its Nigerian counterpart.

He said with support from FRSC, his country’s road management authority would be able to deliver on its mandate effectively.

The Sierra Leone Road Safety Authority is the lead Road Safety Management Agency in Sierra Leone.

It has the responsibility to regulate and develop the Sierra Leonean road transport sector based on an Act of Parliament in 1996 setting it up.

The executive director said that his team’s mission was also to seek collaboration with FRSC in the area of capacity building ahead of planned reforms anchored around the commencement of the production of biometric driver’s licenses.

According to him, SLRSA is also seeking to work closely with FRSC in the area of generation of National Identification Number (NIN) from his country’s National Civil Registration Authority (NCRA).

He identified other areas of collaboration as Change Request and Data Integrity, Command and Control in Administration of Driver’s License Centres, and Curbing Driver’s License Centre’s Information through Biometric Investigations, among others.

“Coming down here was challenging but we know that our visit would not be in vain as we hope to have a positive outcome from this trip.

“We want you to give a rebirth to road safety in Sierra Leone and we hope to benefit from FRSC’s management approach.

“In all, we need support in all areas. We depend on our sister agencies and other transport stakeholders.

“We hope to be fully blown after this visit as we will take every lesson learned and will return to our country and work on them,” he said.

Responding, the Corps Marshal of FRSC, Dr Boboye Oyeyemi expressed appreciation to the visitors for acknowledging FRSC practices and considering them worthy of study and emulation.

Mr Oyeyemi assured the visitors of full support from the FRSC and urged them to take advantage of the visit and ensure that they used all the experiences gathered.

The team which is on a week-long working visit is expected to embark on a tour of FRSC facilities such as the FRSC Academy in Abuja, License and Road Signage workshop, Printing Room, and a host of other utilities belonging to the FRSC.

Mr Sannoh was accompanied by SLRSA’s top officials such as its Director of License, Hassanatu J. Mansaray; Management Information System Analyst, Glen Cole; Safety and Enforcement Director, Augustine Kaitongi; and Ambrose Tucker, Research Manager SLRSA.

(NAN)