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Even for its good intentions, the Lagos State government’s efforts to ensure road safety of motorists and commuters with the establishment of 10 computerised vehicles inspection centres across the state, motorists are still cutting corners to obtain roadworthiness without using the facilities
By Emeka Ejere
THERE is every reason to argue that many vehicles plying the roads of Lagos may not be roadworthy even when their owners have authentic certificate of roadworthiness to present on demand.
Findings by Realnews have revealed that officials of the Lagos Sate Vehicle Inspection Service, VIS, seem to be more interested in generating revenue for the government than preventing road mishaps and carnages by ensuring that only vehicles in good state ply the roads.
The VIS in the state still issues and renews certificate of roadworthiness to motorists, without examining their vehicles, thereby defeating the aim of establishing the 10 computerised vehicles inspection centres spread across Lagos State.
Akinwunmi Ambode, governor of Lagos State had in May last year, said plans had been put in place to stop the issuance of roadworthiness certificate without examination of the vehicle.
Ambode was speaking at the inauguration of eight computerised vehicle inspection centres located in different parts of the state. The eight new centres are located in Oko-Oba, Ayobo – Iyana-Ipaja, Oko-Afo, Badagry, PWD, Gbagada, Agric-Isawo and Epe.
The new centres joined two centres earlier opened in April, 2017, at Ojodu and Odogunyan-Ikorodu to make it ten.
The governor had stated that with the centres in place, the issuance of roadworthiness certificates would be hinged on the inspection of vehicles at any of the testing centres.
Ambode, who was represented by Ladi Lawanson, the commissioner for Transportation, said the state government would partner the Federal Road Safety Corps, FRSC, in ensuring that only roadworthy vehicles were allowed to ply all roads in the state.
The governor also urged the FRSC to continue to collaborate with the Lagos State Traffic Management Authority and the Vehicle Inspection Service in ensuring that vehicles posing threats to safety on the roads were impounded and taken off the road.
He said: “The plan is to replicate the centres in all the 20 local governments and 37 local council development areas of the state. We have taken this route to ensure we do not repeat what happened between 2013 and 2016, when over 416 lives were lost and 2,498 were injured due to road crashes on our roads as a result of human errors which research has proved to be responsible for 90 percent of accidents, while mechanical and environmental factors account for only 10 percent.
“Since the inauguration of the two centres at Ojodu and Ikorodu, 93,768 vehicles have been taken there between April 2017 and December 2017. Of these, 53,970 vehicles passed, 39,798 failed and 29, 977 of those that failed had a retest and passed.
“It is noteworthy that over 60 percent of the vehicles that failed did so as a result of faulty brakes while others failed due to issues relating to lighting, suspensions, tyres and so on.
“This effort has been tripled with the launch of these eight new centres which will provide a faultless and human error-proof system that will indicate the state of your vehicles in the following areas among others: Emission system, the beam (lighting focus and aim), braking system, suspension system, body, tyres.
“We urge Lagosians to patronise the centres for their benefit so that our administration’s commitment to a safe, secure, reliable and efficient transport system will bear the expected fruits.”
He noted that vehicle safety was a key component for total safety on the roads, and urged the National Union of Road Transport Workers, Road Transport Employers Association of Nigeria, and other road users to patronise the centres.
To further maximise the use of the computerised inspection centres, the VIS in November last year, extended its various services to Saturdays to enable motorists in the state revalidate their vehicle particulars and other services.
Gbolahan Toriola, the director of VIS in Lagos State, who disclosed this in Ikeja, noted that vehicle owners were mostly busy during the weekdays, hence their inability to obtain the necessary vehicle particulars as at when due.
He explained that despite the accessibility of 24 VIS area commands and zonal offices spread across the state, motorists still find it difficult to spare the time to obtain the necessary documents required for their vehicles.
Toriola observed with dismay that motorists who came forward for renewal were found to be carrying fake vehicle particulars in form of motor roadworthiness certificates and insurance papers.
The VIS director advised that there was need for proper maintenance of vehicles and regular checks, which he said have been made easy with the establishment of the Lagos State Computerised Vehicle Inspection Centres, LACVIS.
However, from the outcome of our investigations, it is clear that the 10 computerised inspection centres already in place have not started yielding the expected dividend.
Out of 10 motorists polled by our team, only two admitted to have had their vehicles examined before they were issued the certificate of roadworthiness. The rest of them said they got theirs upon payment of the sum of N4, 500 without being asked to bring their vehicles for examination.
“Nobody has ever asked me to bring my vehicle for inspection. All they ask for is the expired certificate and the money,” Uchenna Ibe, a taxi driver in Lagos, said.
“It is even better for me that way as I’m not sure my car will pass the roadworthiness test,” another motorist, who does not want his name mentioned, remarked.
The revelation prompted an unscheduled visit to the operation headquarters of the VIS at Ojodu, where an official confirmed to our undercover reporter that getting certificate of roadworthiness only requires providing the expired copy and the sum of N4, 500.
“Just bring the expired copy and N4, 500. You don’t have to bring your vehicle,” the VIS official said.
– Jan. 21, 2019 @ 12:27 GMT |
Tags: How many Lagos vehicles are roadworthy?
