Why Nigeria needs to standardise vehicle inspection licensing – NSMVAA

The Niger State Motor Vehicle Administration Agency (NSMVAA) says standardisation of the Vehicle Inspection Office and Motor Vehicle Administration of all states will create a robust and accurate vehicle database for Nigeria.

The NSMVAA Executive Director, Dr. Mohammed Bako, said this at the 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 Licencing: Issues and Way Forward.

Bako added that the harmonisation and standardisation of testing and licencing in Nigeria would give birth to one Motor Vehicle Administration Agency across the states.

Bako disclosed that 80 percent of crimes in the country were perpetrated with the use of vehicles.

He stressed the need to ensure that processes used in getting vehicle data and the condition of vehicles 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 campaigns, and sensitisation; it has better enabling laws and rights to revoke, suspend, or withdraw any licence or permit granted pursuant to the provisions of the law.”

He said this would enhance public-private participation and eliminate touting, and all processes involved would provide avenues for high revenue yields, thereby paving the way for high-state internally generated revenue.

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

Also speaking, Mr. Akin-George Fashola, Director, Vehicle Inspection Service (VIS), Lagos State, noted that the conference should address issues of how the VIS officers would 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 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 e-hailing drivers, should go through the right channel 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 process of vehicle inspection in the in the future was about technology.

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

Earlier, Dr. Paul Bepeh, Chairman, Conference of Directors and Chief Road Traffic Officers of the Federation, noted that Nigerians needed to bring to the bar the minimum number of road crashes.

“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 are chronicled in a book, Driving Without Tears,” he said.