Commercial motorists in Lagos State on Saturday begged the Lagos State Government to extend the Dec. 31, 2013-deadline fixed for the new registration of commercial vehicle operations in the state.
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The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that Lagos State Ministry of Transportation started the new registration of commercial vehicles on Nov. 1, 2013 and the exercise was expected to be completed on Dec. 31, 2013.
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The Commissioner for Transportation, Mr Kayode Opeifa, said at a recent meeting with transport service providers that the new vehicles' registration was for purely security reasons.
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He said that the measure was adopted to address some security issues, including kidnapping, which were always linked to commercial vehicles in the state.
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Opeifa vowed that no unlicensed commercial vehicle would be allowed to operate in the state as from Jan. 1. 2014.
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However, a NAN survey revealed that many of commercial motorists had yet to comply with the new registration order.
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Mr Odunayo Daniel, a commercial driver who operates in the Oshodi-Iyana Ipaja axis, described the registration as a welcome development but stressed that the time allotted for it was insufficient.
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"There is nothing bad with the new registration, considering the motive behind it; the only problem is that the time for it is too short.
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"You know the number of vehicles in Lagos, the 60- day time limit fixed for the registration is not enough to be frank. I will be very glad if the government can extend it to a minimum of six months,'' Daniel said.
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Another driver, Mr Wasiu Salako, noted that the timing for the new registration coincided with that of the FRSC registration for the Enhanced Motor Vehicles and Motorcycles Number Plates and the Driver's Licence, making it cumbersome for motorists.
Maybe their request will be granted because most of them have a good excuse if they want to deeply look at it.