By CHRIS OCHAYI, ABUJA
To restore sanity on the highways, the Federal Government yesterday banned the use of sirens by unauthorized persons on the roads.

President Goodluck Jonathan, who stated this in Abuja while launching the new national driver’s licence and number plate, being introduced by the Federal Road safety Corps, FRSC, charged the road traffic regulatory agencies to apprehend and prosecute unauthorized users of siren on our roads.

President Jonathan also ordered immediate removal of all tankers and trailers recklessly and indiscriminately parked on the roads to obstruct free flow of traffic on the highways.

“Let me assure the FRSC of my total support in ensuring that enforcement of road traffic rules does not exempt or accord any undue respect to positions, ranks and status of any select group of road users.

“I charge the Corps Marshal to come up with an immediate action plan in conjunction with other stakeholders in ensuring that adequate parks are provided for trailers and tankers on our highways nationwide and submit same for my consideration.

“The launch today is the culmination of three years of hard work which started with a discussion I had with the Corps Marshal in my office then as Vice President on the need to improve our driver’s license for it to meet international standards. I am delighted today that FRSC has delivered on the promise to introduce a credible driver’s license that meets international standards.

This is a positive development which demonstrates FRSC’s commitment to the government’s transformation agenda and a testimony that we can get it right in this country. Let me therefore congratulate the FRSC, as well as all stakeholders who contributed to making the project a reality.

“Restoring the integrity of the driver’s license aligns fully with the transformation agenda of this government, it is at the heart of the efforts to alter a culture of recklessness, impunity and lack of consideration for other road users .”