Nigeria Needs To Standardise Vehicle Inspection Licensing

The Niger State Motor Vehicle Administration Agency (NSMVAA) says standardisation of vehicle inspection office and motor vehicle administration of all states will create a robust and accurate vehicle database for Nigeria.

Executive director of the organisation Dr Mohammed Bako said this at a national conference of directors and chief road traffic officers of the federation pre-event webinar on Thursday.

The webinar had the theme: “Standardisation and Harmonisation of Vehicle Inspection Testing and Licensing: Issues and Way Forward.”

Bako added that the harmonisation and standardisation of testing and licensing in Nigeria would create one Motor Vehicle Administration Agency across the states.

Bako disclosed that 80 per cent of crimes in the country were perpetrated using vehicles.
He stressed the need to ensure that processes used to obtain vehicle data and determine its condition were highly efficient across the states.

“Other benefits of harmonisation are to promote safety and the right use of equipment in carrying out registration and titling of vehicles as well as support the investigative activities of security agencies.

“It provides driver/rider education, training, awareness campaign and sensitisation, has better-enabling laws and rights to revoke, suspend or withdraw any licence/permit granted under the provisions of the law.”

He said this would enhance public-private participation and eliminate touting. All processes involved provide an avenue for high revenue yield, thereby paving the way for high-state Internally Generated Revenue.

Bako noted that in other climes, the two organisations work hand in hand, adding that if achieved in Nigeria, it would reduce fake number plates and fake documents and revenue leakages.

Also speaking, Mr Akin-George Fashola, Director, Vehicle Inspection Service (VIS), Lagos State, noted that the conference should address how VIS officers will stay relevant in the changing environment.

Fashola said standardisation and harmonisation were the way forward, but the country should ensure the technology deployed would help reduce vehicle movement downtime and that officers’ standards were at par to bring better service to Nigerians.

On fake documents, he urged the public to avoid using a third party to get relevant documents.
“Vehicle owners, especially the e-hailing drivers, should go through the right channels to get their documents.

“There, you can easily identify officers with names and they will bear the consequences if any fake document is given,” he said.

In her goodwill message, Mrs Feyikemi Akinyode, Senior Manager, Plate Detect, said the standardisation of the vehicle inspection process in the future was about technology.

Akinyode, while appreciating the traffic managers’ role, reiterated the organisation’s commitment in supporting traffic managers.

Earlier, chairman of the conference of directors Dr Paul Bepeh stated that Nigerians needed to reduce road crashes to the barest minimum.

“We know that we all will die, but death through road crashes is not acceptable, so we need to make sure that our roads are safe.

“All hands must be on deck to ensure safety on our roads, and if one must drive in Nigeria, one should know the ten commandments of our road, which is chronicled in a book, Driving Without Tears,” he said.