Category: Transportation
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Speed limiter not available, drivers allege
Twenty days to the expiration of the deadline for the installation of speed limiters on commercial vehicles, trucks, trailers and other articulated vehicles, commercial drivers are complaining about the non- availability of the device.
Those who spoke to The Nation said they could not get the device to buy, arguing that it would be wrong for the Federal Road Safety Corps (FRSC) to begin enforcement under such a situation.
The deadline for the installation of the device is June 1.
A driver, Jelil Abdulkareem, who operates at the Ojota Park, said he had gone twice to the accredited retailers of the device but could not get it.
Another, who identified himself as Abraham, said the device is scarce, wondering how the agency could go ahead with its enforcement when many drivers were yet to get it.
Lagos State Commissioner for Transportation Kayode Opeifa also raised some of these concerns at the last stakeholders’ meeting, in Lagos last Tuesday.
He said besides unavailability of the equipment, FRSC must look at the fundamental rights of some individuals, especially, drivers who may insist that they do not need any device to regulate their speed.
The device, he noted could be introduced where there is growing indiscipline, arising from over-speeding, adding: “The government has a responsibility to ensure that lives are protected. You have no right to kill or maim any Nigerian just because you wanted to make money as a driver. That is why the FRSC has come up with the speed limiter which ensures that it regulates your speed and keep you and others safe.”
The FRSC Corps Marshal, Boboye Oyeyemi said the limiter is a global solution to reducing the rising road fatalities.
He said no fewer than 7, 308 lives were lost to road accidents in the past 15 months noting: “At the last year world remembrance for road traffic crashes victims, the focus was on speed, speed is one of the leading causes of death globally.
“In 2014, we recorded 10, 380 Road Traffic Crashes (RTC) and about 6,000 lives were lost and 2,063 were injured.
“And for this year, in the first quarter of 2015, we recorded 2,342 RTC while 1,308 lives were lost and these are our future leaders.
“We have identified, that in all these reports, 50.8 per cent of the crashes were speed related and loss of control carried 16 per cent.
“Speed is a key factor in crashes and once we can tame this, I am sure things will be much better.
“This led to the global recommendation that speed limiting devices should be introduced in every country as part of the global strategies to curb losses on roads.”
The Corps, Oyeyemi said, targets zero death in crashes adding that it is committed to the United Nations Action Plan on reduction of road fatalities by 50 percent.
He said all the stakeholders agreed to begin the enforcement on June 1.
Oyeyemi said the enforcement would be in phases, with FRSC starting with commercial vehicles.
According to him, the organised transport sector has seen the device’s benefits, which he said, include controlling fuel consumption, enhancement of the lifespan of vehicles, elimination of crashes, reduction in carbon emission and zero death.
He said at the African Action Plan summit held in Accra, Ghana recently, only Kenya had demonstrated a serious implementation of the installation of the device.
He said the commission had started training its personnel to ensure maximum compliance and enforcement.
He commended the Federal Government for improved road network stressing however that no road in the country met the minimum requirement of an expressway.
Minister of Works Mike Onolememen, represented by Mr Adetokunbo Sogbesan, said the menace of Road Traffic Crashes (RTC) had become a concern to the government.
The Director-General of the Standards Organisation of Nigeria (SON) Dr Joseph Odumodu said the device would be built into the vehicle engines to checkmate speed.
Odumodu, represented by Mr Richard Adewumi, SON’s Head of Electrical, presented a paper titled: ‘Speed Limiting Devices: Requirements and Specifications for System Components and Implementation’.
He said: “No matter the level of acceleration the driver want to attained once the maximum speed is set, you can go beyond it.
“The essence of the standard is to prevent people from committing suicide.’’
The director said the device has a recorder that could print out the speed record when a driver is stopped by traffic agents.
He said environmental issues such as temperature, salty water, dust, heat, contaminants, etc were factored into the device for effective operation.
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‘500 kids killed in road crashes daily’
The Federal Road Safety Corps (FRSC) has urged school bus drivers to be safety conscious and make the roads safe for users, especially pupils.
At the third United Nations Road Safety Week, which ended last Sunday, the agency said it was worrisome that 500 children are killed daily globally.
Speaking on the theme: “Children and road safety” at the Ogun State Sector Command headquarters in Abeokuta, the Sector Commander, Adegoke Adetunji, said the growing rate of child fatalities informed the UN’s directive to organise a child road safety week to draw attention to the need to keep the roads safe for children. The event, he noted, was organised across the 36 states and the Federal Capital Territory (FCT).
It was also a part of the UN’s decade of action on road safety, which mandated all member-nation to reduce the rate of road traffic crashes (RTC) as well as fatalities to 20 percent by year 2020.
Adetunji said the one-week campaign was to enlighten the public on the need to consider children’s safety on roads.
He said: “Children are the leaders of tomorrow and the future of a nation. Thousands of them are being killed and deformed on the roads around the world every day, because of what the elderly ones do or fail to do when they are behind the wheels.”
A nation that desires a better future must protect its children, he said, adding that there is need for road discipline for children’s sake.
He said road indiscipline exposes children to dangers and many children may not have the chance to grow old as they may be involved in fatal accident.
He appealed to parents, drivers and mototcyclists to be safety conscious whenever they are driving close to school premises or wherever children can easily be found, so that the roads can be made safe for them.
Adegoke urged parents to consider children’s safety while travelling, saying it is wrong to allow children between ages one and 12 months to sit in front of a car.
“Most parents/drivers allow minors to sit in front of a vehicle; this is abnormal and very bad. Such a parent, he said is exposing the child to a grave danger in case of any crashes. He noted that parents must always use a baby car seat for their minors, for him/her to be adequately protected in case of any crash because children are more prone to injuries or being killed whenever accident occur on the road.”
“Parents should stop putting their children on the lap or chest while driving; this, he said, is the easiest way of exposing children to crashes. It is better for a child to cry than sending him/her to an early grave,” Adegoke said.
The FRSC boss urged parents to always use the safety lock when on motion and restrain them from playing with it. “Children are innocent, they don’t know anything, but it is the duty of the parents to protect them against dangers,” he added.
He appealed to Nigeria Union of Teachers to assist in spreading this children road safety proclamation among the pupils, parents and the public.
Adegoke urged school proprietors to comply with the new school bus designs as approved by the Standards Organisation of Nigeria (SON).
He advised parents/guardians and school owners to always ensure the safety of their children/wards from home to school and back, urging them to avoid putting their children on okada.
He also warned the parents against the use of pick-up vans to convey children to school, imploring proprietors to comply with the guidelines to avoid arrest when enforcement begins.
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Lagos may begin train transit soon
The Lagos light rail will start soon, the Lagos State Government has said. A test run of the trains, would start this year, barring the odds of the importation of the rolling stocks.
The Lagos Metropolitan Area Transport Authority (LAMATA) Managing Director, Dr Dayo Mobereola, stated this at the ministerial briefing for the Ministry of Transportation, at the Bagauda Kaltho Press Centre, Alausa, Ikeja, the state capital.
Mobereola, who was represented by the Director, Corporate Investment Planning, Mr Olutayo Orekoya, said work might start in the next two months on the light train as the project is 95 per cent completed.
According to him, work on the first phase of the 27km Blue line, from Okokomaiko to Marina, is ongoing with the Mile 2 to National Theatre (a distance of seven kilometres 95 per cent completed). The second phase, from National Theatre to Marina, which is five kilometres is ongoing.
He said: “The stations and terminus at all our various train stations are already completed. Soon, we would start to test run the signaling, the rail tracks and the joints in preparation for the deployment of the rolling stocks for full commercial activities.”
Mobereola, however, said government would soon announce the commencement date for the flag-off of commercial light rail service in the state.
The rail system, he said, is an integral part of the Strategic Transportation Master Plan (STMP) phase II, which took off two years ago and would end in 2020. He added that due to the attainment of the landmarks of the plan, the agency has extended the plan to 2032.
Under the plan, Mobereola said: “The government would attain its inter modality initiatives which would see the completion of six rail lines, one monorail, 14 BRT corridors, three cable cars and 26 water routes.”
He added that a 37-km rail route from Agbado to Marina, to be known as the Red Line is awaiting Federal Government’s approval for construction.
Mobereola said attention is on the development of a virile intermodal system of transportation that would ensure Lagosians continue to enjoy their travel time and reduce traffic headaches.
Commissioner for Transportation Kayode Opeifa in his account of stewardship said government will continue to strengthen public transportation and make it more attractive as it remains the only way to reduce the volume of vehicle traffic and make travelling a pleasurable experience in the state.
Opeifa, who declared that Lagos roads today are safer than what the Fashola administration met in 2007, stated that transport infrastructure has improved within the same corresponding period, while quality of vehicle services has also improved for better service delivery.
He said: “The state as a leading advocate of safer vehicles, safer drivers and safer community has achieved 81 per cent reduction in the number of motorcycle-related accidents at the state’s hospitals, 80 per cent reduction in number of motorcycle-related deaths, 80 percent increase in the number of road worthy vehicles and 170 per cent increase in the number of request for genuine driver licence.
“There has been huge reduction in motorcycle-related crimes by police reports, 80 per cent reduction in the number of people driving against traffic, 85 per cent reduction in the number of people violating restriction on major highways, better traffic flow and less green gas emission contributions from transport-related sources.”
Opeifa said the state’s public transportation initiative is benchmarked on road rail and water transportation, adding that while government injected 500 buses on the BRT fleet last year, it hopes to push about 250 air-conditioned buses into the system by year end.
He said the state established a passenger carriage company LagFerry last year, with which it planned to inject bigger ferries that would drive down the cost which according to him, is presently prohibitive. He said the mile to mile transportation option is by taxi, bicycle or walking, adding that the recently revised taxi system which entails the presentation of free 14,000 licences to all operators is meant to stimulate the growth of the taxi sector. Among other agencies that equally took time to brief reporters are the Lagos State Drivers Institute (LASDRI), LAMATA, Lagos State Waterways Authority (LASWA), Lagos Bus Assets Company (LAGBUS), LagFerry and the Motor Vehicle Administration Agency (MVAA).
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‘No going back on speed limiter’
The Corps Marshal and Chief Executive Officer, Federal Road Safety Corps (FRSC) Mr Boboye Oyeyemi, has said that there’s no going back on the use of speed limiter in Nigeria.
Enforcement of the device’s installation begins across the country on June 1.
Oyeyemi spoke at the flag-off of Joint Mega Rally, organised by the FRSC and National Union of Road Transport Workers (NURTW) at the Ojota Motor Park in Lagos State. Similar rallies would be organised in the remaining states of the country from next month.
The Corps Marshal said the device is a speed limiting governor which works by controlling the fuel feed to the engine, mechanical and electronic accelerator in a vehicle, adding that it was introduced to reduce accidents arising from over-speeding.
During the rally tagged: Towards an enduring safe Road Culture in Nigeria, Oyeyemi said the initiative was not proposed by FRSC but arrived at with the leadership of all transport unions and other stakeholders to raise the level of awareness for an enduring safe road culture.
He said the unions decided to begin the first stage in Lagos, because the state accounted for almost 40 per cent of vehicular density and chose Ojota Motor Park because of the high number of inter-state buses which daily loads there.
According to Oyeyemi, the unions are telling Nigerians that they are collaborating with the FRSC to make the roads safer for all users.
The unions, he said, provided the facilities just as to fulfill their promises in contributing quotas to the safety of life and property on the roads.
He urged commercial vehicle operators to ensure the speed limiter is installed into their vehicles, noting that it has been agreed by the road union leaders that it must be implemented. He said FRSC has acquired a device that will be used by the FRSC to detect if a vehicle has it or not.
He said: “The unions have also agreed that on no account must any vehicle leave any Motor Park overloaded. Anyone found overloading is not from any parks and the vehicle must be impounded. He said the National Union of Petroleum and Natural Gas Workers (NUPENG) has also agreed that any tanker or trailer that parks indiscriminately on the road must be prosecuted.”
The FRSC chief noted that though the level of accidents had gone down, it desired to push it further down if not totally eradicated.
He appealed to the state governments to support the eradication of the sales of alcohol and drugs in motor parks. He urged motorists to be disciplined, patient and tolerant while on the wheel.
He urged all road users to be more safety conscious and more tolerant of one another, adding that the Lagos/Ibadan Expressway is not functioning well now due to the ongoing construction.
He appealed to all the trucks and tankers to always keep to the right lane while driving and urged motorists to abstain from all forms of distractions such as using phone, eating and drinking while driving, noting that driving safely requires absolute concentration.
The Lagos State Commissioner for Transportation, Kayode Opeifa praised the FRSC and the Corps Marshal (COMAS) for bringing all the stakeholders in transportation industry to Lagos to teach all commercial drivers to observe speed limits.
He said: “Our goal in Lagos State has always been to spread the gospel of road safety. All commercial operators must conduct their business with the heart of making money without recording casualty. Make all the money you can, but don’t kill anyone in the process.”
He said some of the issues raised by COMAS among them; over speeding, and the sale of alcohol and drugs are covered in the state’s Traffic Law 2012. “The sale of alcohol or drugs is covered in regulation 31 not just motorparks but 100 metres to any bus stop and garages, while over-speeding carries a fine of N100,000 and a likely loss of your driver’s licence.”
Opeifa charged the leadership of the drivers union to ensure full compliance with the law to ensure that people don’t drive under the influence of alcohol, or illegal and illicit drugs.
He said soon, no commercial passenger vehicle in Lagos would be able to operate in Lagos without obtaining passenger insurance.
He said: “No commercial vehicle driver in Lagos will be qualified to operate without a passenger insurance scheme. Recently, we have signed MoU with four brokers and 100 underwriters and the scheme will soon commence. We have met with your leadership and we have agreed on a rate that would be applicable. This is to ensure that anybody who enters a public transport; be it taxi, okada, tricycle, molue, or mass transit buses in Lagos, or a ferry, is rest assured that if he or she is involved in an accident, he can go to the nearest hospital and be treated free of charge and in the case of death the person is insured to the tune of N2m.” The scheme, he said, would soon come into operation soon.
He said anybody who is involved in public transportation and moves people must be a professional driver and certified. All such drivers must be qualified to be called drivers.
He called on the leadership of the unions to ensure that drivers in their garages have the unified motor vehicle drivers’ licence from the FRSC.
Opeifa reiterated that the state is committed to working with FRSC to ensure safety on the roads.
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‘Use horn when necessary’
The Lagos State Governor Mr Babatunde Fashola has urged motorists to stop arbitrary use of horns on the roads. He noted that vehicle horns are meant to draw other motorists’ attention to emergencies that might affect safety on the roads.
He said the No Horn Day event, held last October, was meant to draw attention to the advantages inherent in driving without the indiscriminate use of horn.
He spoke at a forum with taxi drivers at De Blue Roof, LTV ground, Agidingbi, Lagos.
He said: “Time has come to remind ourselves that the horns fixed on our vehicles were not toys to be pressed at will to distract attention of other road users. They are equipment meant to draw attention to any danger or emergencies while a driver is making use of the road. It should be respected and used when absolutely necessary.”
Acknowledging that horn blaring constitutes a major source of noise pollution and a contributory factor to deafness among residents, Fashola said people would be healthier and with a reduction of the noise level.
He praised the Ministry of Transportation for coming out with appropriate No Horn signages, adding that an approval has been given for the deployment of the signs at all public places and institutions. Motorists, he said, must comply strictly by ensuring that they balre no horn whenever the signs are posted.
Earlier, the Commissioner for Transportation Mr Kayode Opeifa said the No Horn road signs are a build-on the achievement of the event in the state, which according to him was not only reported in 27 countries, but received over 80 million tweets.
He said all public institutions such as schools, libraries, hospitals, Zebra crossing, junctions, secretariat complex, among others would have fixed on them the no horn sign, meaning that honking of the horns are prohibited in such areas.
Opeifa said government will continue to strengthen the safety and security of public transportation and ensure that its people are moved with pride, dignity and honour by the transportation operators.
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How to keep Lagos moving, by Fashola
Governor Babatunde Fashola has reiterated his administration’s commitment to delivering world-class projects and infrastructure to support integrated multi-modal transport system in Lagos State.
He said integrated multi-modal public transport remains the safest and most affordable way to keep Lagos moving.
While some may have money to buy cars, the government, Fashola said, must increase the access of the masses to affordable, comfortable and convenient means of transportation.
He spoke last Thursday at the opening of WEMPCO Road at Ogba, in Ojodu Local Council Development Area (LCDA), of the state, which was rehabilitated and upgraded by his administration. The road is the first in the state, with a walkway and a cycle lane to encourage non-motorised transportation.
The project, funded by the World Bank, was executed by the Lagos Metropolitan Area Transport Authority (LAMATA).
Fashola warned against the erection of illegal structures on the road, adding that the space on the new road is the proposed light rail corridor, the sanctity of which must be protected.
Urging residents to prevent its abuse, he said the government would come down heavily on anyone who turned the sidewalk of the road into a market.
He described the project as another indicator of good governance, adding that it would serve all residents, irrespective of race, colour, tribe or ethnicity.
The Governor said: “The road would not ask you whether you are Hausa or Ibo, or whether you are a Nigerian or foreigner. The road is one of the basic things that bind us together. It is our common heritage and that is why we must preserve it. This is one of the things being done with your taxes. This is one of the testimonies for all tax payers and another reason to see anyone who tries to destroy it as being out to destroy your property.”
He charged users of the road, especially industries around the area, to use it more responsibly, adding that a good road has put additional responsibility on the users that they owe residents and others a duty to drive responsibly.
“A good road does not necessarily have to guarantee increased speed but it adds to the responsibility of motorists to drive with care not to constitute any hazard to other users,” Fashola said.
Earlier, LAMATA’s Managing Director Dr. Dayo Mobereola described the event as the opening of two significant projects: the first being the eradication of flooding on the road, which usually leads to the destruction of lives and property, shutting down of businesses and traffic congestion. This has been tackled by the construction of an underground drainage channelisation and the total reconstruction of the road from a single lane to dual lanes with street light.
Describing the underground drainage as the first in the state because of the topography, Mobereola said: “The drainage, almost 2km long, is a precast reinforced concrete rectangular with a varying degree of 2 to 10 metres. The precast box is 2 metres in length, 2 metres in breadth and 2 metres in height, constructed along the stretch of the road from Ijaiye road by WEMPCO cutting across Lateef Jakande Road into Omole Gorge and designed to collect flood water from Agege Pen Cinema, Oba ogunji Road, WEMPCO Road, Akilo Road, Metal Box Street, and other adjoining roads.”
Mobereola said the era of flooding along the axis, which informed the government’s intervention, is “gone forever.”
On the reconstruction, he said the road’s width was increased from 10 to 12 metres to accommodate pedestrian walkways and a cycle lane to encourage non-motorised transportation and exercising for healthy living.
He said the road, with facilities that would prevent cutting by any utility provider, will help achieve reduction in travel time by 15 minutes.
“The road will also increase peak hour speed along the corridor from 15km/hour to 30km/hour with a cost benefit reduction put at N68million per year as a result of reduced road congestion, springing up of more businesses and improved accessibility to businesses. There will also be improved lifestyle of residents along the route, with a reduction in the cost of vehicle maintenance. There will also be reduction in pollution emission by 15 percent and reduction in incidences of air bone diseases among others,” he said.
Among leading community leaders on hand to thank the governor for the successful execution of the project were the Justice Ishola Olorunnimbe, OON, a retired Judge of the state High Court, Rear Admiral Abiodun Olukoya former military Administrator of the old ondo State, Executive Secretary of Ojodu LCDA Mallam Ahmed Jaji, and several captains of industries.
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Install speed limiter, FRSC urges motorists
The Federal Road Safety Commission (FRSC) has urged commercial transport operators yet to install a speed limiter in their vehicles to do so before June 1, or face prosecution.
Its Mowe Unit Commander, Mr Oludare Ogunjobi, gave the charge at a sensitisation for stakeholders on the implementation of the speed limit device, at Obafemi/Owode Local Government Area in Ogun State.
Ogunjobi said commercial vehicles were expected to have installed the device on or before the deadline, adding that defaulters’ vehicles would be impounded.
He said the device was introduced to regulate over-speeding which causes accidents.
Vehicles with the device, he said, would not move beyond the regulated speed limit, no matter the pressure applied on the accelerator.
Ogunjobi said research has shown that 65 per cent of accidents are caused by over-speeding, with colossal loss of life and property, raising the need for the device for maximum speed control.
To prevent such fatal crashes, Ogunjobi said it was compulsory for every motorist to for the device.
The use of a speed limiter, according to Ogunjobi, will guarantee a longer life span for the vehicle and reduce the money spent on fuel and maintenance.
Ogunjobi urged motorists to support the FRSC campaign, and stop complaining about the N45,000 price for the device.
Ogunjobi also spoke on the need for vehicle maintenance during the rainy season, urging motorists to take every necessary care while driving during the period.
He said motorists must ensure their vehicles are in good shape before embarking on any trip during the rain.
Ogunjobi who noted that lack of maintenance contributes to crashes on the roads, charged motorists to ensure their vehicle’s tyres, brake pads, brake lights, aerial lights, pointers, wind shield wipers and blades, including the headlights are in perfect working condition during and after the rainy season.
Ogunjobi said they should always turn on their headlights and wipers and reduce their speed whenever it rains.
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Boat operators get 200 free life jackets
No fewer than 200 life jackets have been distributed to boat operators to boost their business and enhance waterways safety in Lagos State.
At the ceremony held last Wednesday, at Aiyetoro, Jetty, in Epe, a riverine community, the Lagos State Waterways Authority (LASWA), said 3,500 life jackets have been distributed by the government free to boost waterways safety.
LASWA Managing Director Mr. Yinka Marinho said 17 boat operators benefited from the exercise, adding that the gesture was in continuation of the agency’s water safety awareness, which began in 2012.
Last year, boat operators in Badagry, Ikorodu and Ojo, Marinho said, received 300, 500 and 2,000 life jackets.
Marinho said: “This is in continuation of our waterways safety programme which we have been doing yearly. The governor helped us to start the distribution with 2,000 life jackets when the Ebute-Ojo Terminal was opened last year.”
Like what happens when we wear our seat belts when we drive, life jackets, LASWA chief said, also prevent hazards when we found ourselves in the water.
“You can see by the practical demonstration that you don’t need to know how to swim, as long as you wear the life jacket, you will stay afloat.
Marinho said the gesture was to forestall a repeat of the mishap in the area during the presidential election in which some people drowned. “It is unfortunate we had a boat mishap here (Epe) during the presidential and National Assembly elections in which four persons lost their lives.
“So, this is to forestall cases of deaths when mishaps occur,” Marinho said.
He said the government was still working on the safety of the waterways and that of all users of water transportation.
He advised operators to disallow any passenger from boarding the boat, who refuses to use a life jacket.
An operator, Mr. Anthony Agadi, thanked LASWA for the gesture saying, if the victims of the last boat mishap had used life jackets, they could have been saved.
“We are grateful to LASWA because now our passengers would be more confident in our operations.’’
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Taxi industry can generate N50b, says Opeifa
Lagos State Commissioner for Transportation Kayode Opeifa says the provisional licence given to taxi drivers under its Traffic Law will stimulate growth, enhance commuters’ confidence and operators’ capacity to create jobs. He spoke with reporters in Lagos. ADEYINKA ADERIBIGBE was there.
THE new licence regime is part of the transport reforms began last year. It was introduced to ensure seamless taxi operation. So under the Lagos State Traffic Law 2012 public transport operators must have a licence, while the drivers must regularly be certified by the state’s driver’s institute (LASDRI).
New Law for jobs, wealth
Opeifa said the Traffic Law is to create jobs, wealth and guarantee safety. “We did a survey and we found out that the taxi industry in Lagos is worth N27 billion, but sadly, we have not seen anyone in that sector becoming a billionaire, so something must be wrong and we want to redress this.
“So, with this system, they will have ability to refleet and exist as a corporate entity. They will also have the ability to employ people. They will begin to enjoy so many things from government; they will begin to enjoy group programmes like maintenance yards, access to new vehicles and loans. The vehicle licence that would be given to them is also going to be an asset. So if you need a loan to buy a new vehicle, even a loan to build a house, they can use this licence as collateral. Though this licence is being given to them free of charge by the governor, soon, it would mature to become a valuable asset.”
Examples from U.S.A
For example, in some states in the United States of America, precisely in the City of New York, taxi licence is worth $900,000 to about $1.2 million, so a taxi cab owner has an asset in their pocket. In the city of Chicago, I know same licence is worth between $370,000 to $740,000 and these are assets that they bought either at about $100 or given to them free of charge.
Over the years like the share certificates and landed properties, this certificate too will appreciate in value because it will obey the dynamics of demand and supply and we will regulate to make sure that you will need it to operate, just like the old liquor licence.
When these are in place, consumers will feel more secured and more comfortable. You will be more convinced to leave your vehicles and take a taxi because you will now see a neater, better managed system where the driver is not only making money but generating wealth to take care of himself and employ more people.
Kabukabu… Going, going
Also, for our taxi system, for sometime now we’ve not been allowing entry into the taxi system to prevent those unpainted operators called kabukabu from operating.
Under the new system, there will no longer be kabukabu because they have all been captured in the system as they have registered and would be given licences too. From this moment, all taxis in Lagos, apart from the corporate ones we’ve registered, would have the same yellow colour, but the black stripe will be replaced with the four Lagos colours and will henceforth be known as mega taxis.
Owners of rickety taxis, or those without airconditioning system, would be given two years deadline to retrofit air conditioning system in their cars or replace them. They are given such moratorium because they have been in operation before the commencement of the system. The only condition for these class of vehicles is that they must be road worthy. But new vehicles that want to come into the system must comply strictly to the standards. This ultimately will lead to improved service delivery, and taxi drivers will now have badges and identification cards and their operations are now being guaranteed by the government, which will boost the industry.
Threats of subversion of govt’s intentions
Opeifa does not believe the system can be subverted by political interests since the implementation started in 2007 and the programme is the implementation of the provisions of the state’s traffic law 2012. “We have since started the implementation of some of the provisions of this law; such as regulations 23, 27, 40 and 41. We’ve been meeting with the taxi operators even before the road traffic law came into force.
In 2007, we started the mega taxi system and strengthened taxi services by licencing corporate taxi operations in 2008. We harmonised the system thereafter and this was reflected in the 2012 law. In July 2013, the state’s Executive Council approved for the commencement of the harmonised system and that was why in November 2013, we commenced the documentation process and we thought that would end in January 2014, which would have heralded the take-off of the scheme by May 2014, unfortunately, the taxi drivers do not understand it, so it took quite a lot of stakeholders meeting until both parties agreed. One of the issues we are able to harmonise was the issue of age of the vehicle. While the law stipulates a five-year period for any vehicle in the scheme, the governor in his magnanimity eventually agreed the age be shifted to 12 years for new entrants, while the age criterion was lifted for all old operators.
What gains for the industry?
The commissioner believed the gains of the new taxi scheme will be tremendous. One of the major gains according to him is that the taxi industry will become more regulated and when that happens there will be safety guarantee to attract more investment and industry’s capacity to create jobs would be enhanced. Because all operators are captured on our database issues of security would also be reduced. Passengers will have more confidence in the system and this will lead to improved business and turn around for all operators. We are also envisaging that improved confidence in the taxi system will lead to improved traffic as many would leave their vehicles at hometo patronise the taxi. If we can achieve this, we would have achieved a major plank of our mandate to establish an intermodal transportation system that is safe, reliable and affordable. Taxis would help our people connect from mile to mile especially the short distance, which are presently being covered by okada and tricycles popularly called keke Marwa.
The taxis would phase out this ugly transportation that has left many of our citizens dead and many others injured.
When the industry improves, more taxis will be on the road and taxi fares will come down. You will think the taxis will lose money if that happens, but they will make more money because more people will now use taxis and they would now make more money.
For the government, the major gain would be the creation of more jobs. We would not only be creating jobs, we would be creating wealth. People who hitherto operate taxis at a loss will now be empowered to create wealth and consequently stimulate the economy. Government’s security guarantee would also open new windows of investment opportunity for the industry, so that he N27 billion industry which we met would be more vibrant and can really increase to N50 billion. When this happens, there will be more jobs and more wealth opportunities. Call centres will open to manage their call system, and more modern mechanic workshops would also begin to spring up.
He believes a glut currently exists in the taxi density in the state that the system would address. The total number of taxis required by the state is actually about 10,000 Opeifa said, however how studies showed that we currently have 14,000 operators in the system. What this means is that there is a glut who would otherwise be idle and the industry would not be able to operate maximally. What we have done is to give licences to all of them. All the 14,000 have been given this licence free and they have been made the grand fathers of this new programme. This does not mean that all the 14,000 would be operating, but as the industry becomes more vibrant the entire number would then be fully engaged.
“As the demand for taxis improves, not only would all the 14,000 be engaged, there would be need to issue new licences. We have done a lot of projections that has shown that this would be attained within the next five years. Soon this licence that is given free would be tradable as a means of exchange and people can either sell it or have others buy vehicles under the licence certificate,” he said.
Do beneficiaries have to renew the licence? Opeifa said no. The licence is a once in a lifetime certification to operate public vehicles in the state.
However, they would need to submit their drivers to periodic test and trainings and can have the certificate withdrawn if it was discovered they had compromised on the safety standards set by the government or refused to present any of their operator for mandatory training.
