Don't Miss


Home   >   Business   >   Industries   >   Transportation   >   Commercial motorists in Lagos seek extension of registration dateline

Commercial motorists in Lagos seek extension of registration dateline

By on January 5, 2014

Commercial motorists in Lagos on Saturday appealed to the Lagos State Government to extend the Dec. 31, 2013-deadline fixed for the new registration of commercial vehicle operations.

The News Agency of Nigeria reports that Lagos State Ministry of Transportation commenced the new registration of commercial vehicles on Nov. 1, 2013 and the exercise was expected to end on Dec. 31, 2013.

The Commissioner for Transportation, Mr Kayode Opeifa, said at a recent meeting with transport service providers that the new vehicles’ registration was for purely security reasons.

He said that the measure was adopted to address some security issues, including kidnapping, which were always linked to commercial vehicles in the state.

Opeifa vowed that no unlicensed commercial vehicle would be allowed to operate in the state as from Jan. 1. 2014.

However, a NAN survey revealed that many of commercial motorists had yet to comply with the new registration order.

Mr Odunayo Daniel, a commercial driver who operates in the Oshodi-Iyana Ipaja axis, described the registration as a welcome development but stressed that the time allotted for it was insufficient.

“There is nothing bad with the new registration, considering the motive behind it; the only problem is that the time for it is too short.

“You know the number of vehicles in Lagos, the 60-day time limit fixed for the registration is not enough to be frank. I will be very glad if the government can extend it to a minimum of six months,” Daniel said.

Another driver, Mr Wasiu Salako, noted that the timing for the new registration coincided with that of the FRSC registration for the Enhanced Motor Vehicles and Motorcycles Number Plates and the Driver’s Licence, making it cumbersome for motorists.

“They should have allowed us to complete this one before initiating another; although we cannot fight the government, what we are begging for is extension,” he said.

Another commercial driver, Mr Korede Alagbe, said: I have not done the registration; in fact, I am still pursing the new Number Plate and Driver’s Licence. Let the Lagos State Government reconsider the deadline.’’

Mr Samson Iyiola, a bus conductor, said: “The registration is funny to me, it should not have involved conductors, who are only trying to eke out a living.”

Mr Suleiman Akanji, a commercial driver, conceded that he did not have any idea about the registration.

“I don’t know anything about this registration of commercial vehicles’ owners, drivers and conductors; is it different from that of the FRSC?” he asked.

Another commercial driver, Mr Victor Eze, noted that drivers and conductors worked with different vehicles on a shift basis, wondering how the registration would look like in such a situation.

Eze solicited more enlightenment on the vehicles’ registration as well as the extension of the deadline.

NAN, however, reports that the enforcement, which is expected to commence on Jan. 1, has yet to commence.

 

 

[Punch]