Security
THE Federal Capital Territory (FCT) Directorate of Road Transport Services (DRTS) says plans are ongoing to take the census of dispatch riders operating within the territory to curb illicit drug peddlers.
FCT DRTS Director Wadata Bodinga in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) on Monday in Abuja said that dispatch riders were to be registered under a recognised dispatch company.
“The administration is looking at ensuring dispatch riders are registered under a company so that the companies can provide the details of their dispatch riders alongside the company’s Cooperate Affairs Commission (CAC) licence,” he said.
Bodinga said this was important in the issuance of a special number plate for all delivery motorcycles in the FCT for peculiarity.
NAN reports that Bodinga had disclosed that special number plates were to be administered to every legal dispatch motorcycle in the FCT to help citizens to identify legitimate riders.
“Most of those using this dispatch business for drug peddling are not the owners of the motorcycles.
“Recently some dispatch riders had been arrested for drug peddling within the city which was a bad omen.
“Now once a company knows that their name is at stake and any illegal act can lead to the likely cancellation of your licence, then extra operational care will be applied.
“The dispatch motorcycle must also be painted with the company color and logo.
“Every company has its logo, so we expect each company to paint their dispatch motorcycles in its colour and logo for easy identification as a way to ensure they are checkmated,” he said.
He said that the new development would assist the service alongside other security agencies to equally have information regarding the riders and the areas they operate.
“This will make it easier for security agencies to track riders and others who act as bad eggs by coming into the business to infiltrate the business and by so doing affect the good eggs,” he said.
The director frowned at those who wake up, buy motorcycles and just mount delivery boxes and decide to call them dispatch riders.
He, however, said the reason for the delay in the issuance of the new special number plates for delivery riders was due to the need for a system upgrade by the DRTS.
“Most of our systems require an upgrade but we have finished all the software upgrade and we have almost rounded up the interaction with the various stakeholders which is very important.
“We are ensuring we interact with them well so that they understand the benefit they are to derive from this noble scheme,” he said.(NAN)
– July 5, 2021 @ 14:36 GMT |
Tags: DRTS to take census of dispatch riders to curb illicit drug peddlers
