LASG SHOULD GIVE US BACK OUR PLACE FROM UBER OPERATORS DEPRIVATIO- Taxi Driver

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By Gbenga Adewale

The Lagos State Taxi Drivers and Cab operators have appealed to the Lagos state Government to give the Taxi operators their place back in their routes and motor ways where the UBER operators have hijacked from them since the UBER operators introduction in the state.

The State officer to the Taxi Lagos Headquarter,Mr Kazeem Ayanshina revealed this on Thursday during the Launch of the newly Designed Articulated/Allied Vehicle Number Plate held at the Alausa Auditorium by the Lagos state ministry of Transportation,that it is a very gladening initiative the Lagos state government has begun in the state on the Newly launched Designed Articulated/Allied Vehicle Number Plate” as the operators of Taxi and Cab in Lagos who actually would see the real identification of Truck and Trailers which engage in crime,accident or not in the state.

Speaking with the Newsmen,Mr Ayanshina said ever since the invasion of the Uber operators in the state, the operators have been illegally depriving the Taxi operators from plying some particular routes in the state and it has caused a lot of financial setback for them in their transportation business in Lagos. He however begged the state government to help them redress the issue which is causing conflicts among the UBER Operators and the Taxi Drivers in a way that UBER operators would be fixed under the Umbrella of the Taxi Drivers because the UBER operators are using the Car Plate Numbers on their motorcycles which is originally illegal without any approval from the Diving institute.

He stated further that series of letters have been written to the Lagos state government to consider the Taxi Operators in the highlighted areas and it was all to no avail.

The Deputy Managing Director for Courteville Business Solutions PLC and a Trademark owner of Auto Reg in Nigeria,Mr Wale Sonaike has commended the state government to start the Articulated Allied Vehicle number plate among the state in Nigeria and urged the government while addressing the newsmen to give this a publicity and public sensitisation for the knowledge of everyone that the essence of this initiative newly launched in Lagos would not be lost on us.

Mr Sonaike emphasised that this has to be done for the allied vehicles owners not to be caught unaware because there is likely hood of compliance in a state where there is a Law that is not hidden to all but where there is an absence of Laws in the state everybody behaves like we are in Banana Republic.

He said further that this new arrangement Number Plates are important for the use of the Lagos Residents because it would be issued in triplet such that one would be attached to the head of the vehicle, and at the back of the head and body of the Trailers and once there is an accident with the vehicle, you would be able to identify the owner of the vehicles.

He thereby enjoined the stakeholders to embrace this initiative which Lagos State government has just launched for everyone’ good, that it is not an initiative for the Lagos state government alone but also for the joint task board under which all states of the federation are assigned to come on board to introduce the scheme as Lagos state is the first to commence it. Appreciating it because we are in compliance in what is done worldwide,not only in Nigeria. He said.

The Commissioner for the Ministry of Transportation, Dr.Frederic Oladeinde said in his Remarks that this development by the Administration of Mr.Babajide Olusola Sanwo Olu,Governor of Lagos state is to further prioritize safe monitoring measures for crime detection on our roads in Lagos state.

Dr.Frederic explained that the Articulated and Allied Vehicles Number plates( AVNP)are issued to vehicles which have a permanent or semi- permanent pivot joint in their construction which enables them to turn more sharply. He stated that the reason for this re introduction was because the level of compliance was very low and the regulation to affix 3 standard number plates on these articulated vehicles have been in existence long time ago .

Dr. Frederic had enlightened that the scheme is in line with the state government policy of inclusion and the objective was to keep unregistered vehicles off Lagos roads in order to reduce the festering use of such automobiles for criminal activities as well as to discourage vehicle theft whilst also enabling owners to use their vehicles within hours of port clearance and within the stipulated validity period of 30 days,without fear of apprehension by security agents.

He added that only newly imported vehicles with Dealers Permit are excluded from the Temporary Vehicle Tag (TVT)coming into the Lagos state through our port and the TVT shall be issued by the Motor Vehicle Administration Agency(MVAA) .

“We have therefore initiated this launch to secure the necessary and vital concurrence of all stakeholders involved in the vehicle number plate production,issuance and enforcement chain,as well as the end users”. He said.

He enjoined every stakeholders to join hands with the agencies as well as the law enforcement agencies to make the AVNP and TVT schemes a huge success.

The General Manager for the Motor Vehicle Administration Agency MVAA, Mrs Lape Kilanko however urged everyone to get registered for the scheme and it is available in all MVAA stations.

Mrs Kilanko said it is important now and Monday for everyone concerned to convert their old number plate to the new designs at an affordable price.