The Nation Newspaper

Category: Transportation

  • ‘Drive with fake licence, go to jail’

    ‘Drive with fake licence, go to jail’

    The Vehicle Inspection Service (VIS) has warned motorists to stop obtaining drivers licence through proxy or risk going to jail.

    The National Chairman, Conference of Directors of VIOs of the federation, Mr. Bayo Otuyemi, sounded the note of warning in his office in Abeokuta, the Ogun State capital.

    Otuyemi, the Commander of Ogun State Vehicle Inspection Service (VIS), said VIOs must ensure that drivers obtained genuine licence to ensure the creation of a reliable data base.

    He said this has been impossible in the past because many motorists obtained licence through proxies.

    He said some of the fatal crashes on the roads have been attributed to lack of driving skills, poor road signage knowledge and poor driving attitude all of which showed that they never went through driving school.

    He said: “Some drivers when arrested as a result of their inadequate knowledge of driving have been found in possession of fake licences, while many have no driving licence at all. They lacked in-depth knowledge of the practical and theoretical aspects of driving which they ought to have known before being given a driver’s licence that qualifies them to drive. Due to these shortcomings some of them lacked what it takes to drive on the highways because they knew nothing about traffic rules and regulations.”

    He urged motorists to attend professional driving schools to acquire the proper training to drive on the highways and follow the due process of obtaining driver’s licence. He said henceforth, whoever is caught driving without the original driver’s licence will not only be fined but risk a jail term.

    The process of obtaining drivers’ licence, according to him, has been linked with three agencies, State Board of Internal Revenue, Federal Road Safety Corps (FRSC) and the Department of Vehicle Inspections Office.

    He said applicants for driving licence must obtain provisional driving licence and will be issued a full driving licence on successful completion of the test and practical driving examination by the Vehicle Inspection Office.

    “Anyone who obtained a driver’s licence by proxy from any state or FRSC without being tested and certified competent to drive on Nigeria roads by a qualified vehicle inspection officer, may have been issued a fake driving licence and would be prosecuted in the court for driving with fake documents,” he added.

    The VIO boss, strongly advised applicants for driving licence to visit the nearest FRSC’s office, Vehicle Inspection Office (VIO) or the State Board of Internal Revenue, for better advice in the processing of obtaining drivers’ licence instead of patronising touts. Alternatively, applicants can submit an online application and must be both practically and theoretically tested and certified competent by a testing officer before they are issued drivers’ licence.

    He also appealed to both federal and states’ owned road traffic management agencies to continue improving on enforcement capacity, technologies and public education/enlightenment campaign.

    Otuyemi also urged corporate body/organisations and commercial transport unions to join in the campaign against lawless driving which has led to wanton destruction of lives and property.

    He also appealed to motorists to ensure that their vehicles are in good condition before embarking on any journey.

  • ‘Don’t Drink and Drive’ rally ends

    The Nigerian Breweries (NB) Plc, in partnership with the Federal Road Safety Corps (FRSC), has held the last of its 2014 ‘Don’t Drink and Drive’ rallies at Agege Motor Park in Lagos.

    The campaign, which focused on responsible consumption of alcohol, was held in Makurdi (Benue State) Onitsha, (Anambra State) and Port Harcourt (Rivers State).

    The Agege rally attracted the National Union of Road Transport Workers (NURTW), the Vehicle Inspection Service (VIS), Customs, Police, Nigerian Army, the National Youth Service Corps and non-governmental organisations.

    Welcoming participants, the Lagos State Sector Commander, FRSC, Hyginus Omeje, reiterated the importance of driving alcohol-free.

    “Alcohol and driving do not go together because alcohol causes loss of attention and driving requires a lot of concentration due to the lives at stake,” he said.

    The NB Plc’s Corporate Social Responsibility/Sustainability Manager, Mrs Emete Tonukari, said the ‘Don’t Drink and Drive’ Campaign was an important part of the company’s Brewing a Better World sustainability journey.

    “We are here to enlighten drivers on the benefits of observing traffic rules and regulations and also for them not to consume any alcoholic product before driving.” They are to ensure that their vehicles are in good working condition and to rest adequately before embarking on a journey.  Safety is very important to us and we all have to be safety conscious as we ply the roads.

    The guest speaker, Dr. Oluchi Kanma-Okafor, spoke  on the effects of alcohol on driving, adding that for safety on the roads, drivers must not drink alcohol while on duty.

    The Vice Chairman of Agege Motor Park, Alhaji Fatai Alimi and representative of the Comptroller of Customs, Federal Operations, Ikeja, CSC Piyapdat Nicholas also spoke at the rally.

    Highpoints of the campaign included a drama presentation on the adverse effects of drink driving by members of the National Youth Service Corps. Participants also had a free check on their blood pressure as part of the exercise.

    It would be recalled that Nigerian Breweries signed a Memorandum of Understanding with the Federal Road Safety Corps to formalise their terms of engagement on the Don’t Drink and Drive campaign. The campaign which started in 2008 is in its seventh year and has gone round 31 major cities across Nigeria.

  • Agency to reduce accidents

    The Ogun State Traffic Compliance and Enforcement Corps (TRACE) is committed to reducing fatal road crashes this December, the Corps’ Commander, Ayo Sangofadeji, has said.

    He spoke with reporters on this year’s accident-free day at the Corps’ headquarters in Abeokuta, the state capital.

    Sangofadeji said the corps would intensify efforts on its public enlightenment programmes especially at motor parks across the state and bring erring motorists to book.

    “Our goal this year is to ensure reduction in road traffic accident compared to 2013. We will intensify efforts by way of enlightenment and strong enforcement,” he said.

    The Corps, he said, is determined to prove a point to members of the public that ‘Ember’ month does not kill. He noted that what kills is poor driving attitude which needed to be addressed by ensuring total compliance to safety rules and regulations.

    Speaking on the role of passengers, the TRACE chief, advised them to be at alert at all times, watch drivers’ attitude, and manner of driving and report any behaviour contrary to safety of lives to the appropriate authority.

    He said: “We have one driver to many passengers in a vehicle; one person should not be allowed to negatively dictate where the journey of the others would end.”

  • Train to link 36 state capitals, says Jonathan

    Train to link 36 state capitals, says Jonathan

    The ongoing transformation in the railway sub-sector would not stop until the nation’s 36 state capitals are linked by railway, President Goodluck Jonathan has said.

    Speaking in London at the just concluded 17th meeting of the Honorary International Investment Council (HIIC) the President said the nationwide coverage of the rail network will boost the economy and reduce the pressure on the nation’s roads and highways.

    Speaking on the theme: Rail Transportation, the President acknowledged that no meaningful development can take place without addressing the railway.

    He said with adequate rail coverage, roads and highways would be better maintained as the pressure on them as the only mode of transportation would be reduced.

    He said: “If we do not link state capitals by rail, our roads will not last.’’

    On upgrade and expansion of the nation’s road infrastructure, the President said, “we cannot mould the economy without good roads.

    “Quite a number of companies still construct roads to their sites. This is not supposed to be so. We are committed to addressing this, we have been working hard and we have improved our road networks significantly.’’

    He assured that all federal roads networks will be resurfaced within the next three years.

    “We intend to construct new ones that we consider as very critical, especially one that would link up Port Harcourt city and Bonny the major gas exporting terminal of our country,” Jonathan said.

    The President also informed of government’s commitment to securing the nation’s air space and improving the quality of airport terminal buildings.

    Jonathan assured that government was determined to end security challenge facing the country.

    The HIIC Coordinator Baroness Lynda Chalker, said the organisation since inception had focused on various sectors of the economy.

    “This 17th meeting will focus on rail transportation given its critical role to the economy,” she said.

    She said positive news about Nigeria was over-shadowed by what is happening now. “We must work together to project Nigeria’s positive news and achievements because it is not in anybody’s interest to run Nigeria down,” she said.

    The Europe Correspondent of the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that other topics discussed included opportunities and reforms in the power and construction sectors.

    The Ministers of Transportation, Power, Works, Aviation Finance, National Planning, Trade and Investment as well as Defence made presentations.

    The HIIC, made up of prominent investors around the world, advises governments on economic development.

    The areas of the HIIC’s partnership with Nigeria include reduction of corruption, attracting foreign direct investment and promoting private sector driven economy.

  • Nigerian Breweries wraps up ‘Don’t Drink and Drive’ Campaign

    Nigerian Breweries wraps up ‘Don’t Drink and Drive’ Campaign

    The Nigerian Breweries Plc in partnership with the Federal Road Safety Corps recently held the last of its 2014 ‘Don’t Drink and Drive’ rallies in Agege Motor Park. The campaign had earlier held in Makurdi, Onitsha and Port Harcourt as part of its nationwide campaign for responsible consumption of alcohol.

    The Agege rally attracted stakeholders in the transport sector; including members of the National Union of Road Transport Workers (NURTW), officials of the Vehicle Inspection Service (VIS), Customs officials, The Nigeria Police, the Nigerian Army, members of the National Youth Corps, as well as several Non-governmental Organisations.

    Welcoming participants, the Lagos State Sector Commander, Federal Road Safety Corps (FRSC), Hyginus Omeje, reiterated the importance of driving alcohol-free. “Alcohol and driving do not go together because alcohol causes loss of attention and driving requires a lot of concentration due to the lives at stake”, he said.

    On her part, the Corporate Social Responsibility/Sustainability Manager, Nigerian Breweries Plc, Emete Tonukari explained that the ‘Don’t Drink and Drive’ Campaign is an important part of the sustainability journey of Nigerian Breweries Plc tagged Brewing a Better World. “We are here to enlighten drivers on the benefits of observing traffic rules and regulations and also for them not to consume any alcoholic product before driving.” They are to ensure that their vehicles are in good working condition and to rest adequately before embarking on a journey.  Safety is very important to us and we all have to be safety conscious as we ply the roads.

    The guest speaker, Dr. Oluchi Kanma-Okafor educated the participants on the effects of alcohol on driving, adding that for the safety of lives on the roads, drivers must stay free from alcohol while on duty. The Vice Chairman of Agege Motor Park, Alhaji Fatai Alimi and representative of the Comptroller of Customs, Federal Operations, Ikeja, CSC Piyapdat Nicholas also spoke at the rally.

    Other highpoints of the campaign included a drama presentation on the adverse effects of drink driving by members of the National Youth Service Corps. Participants also had a free check on their blood pressure as part of the exercise.

    It would be recalled that Nigerian Breweries signed a Memorandum of Understanding with the Federal Road Safety Corps to formalise their terms of engagement on the Don’t Drink and Drive campaign. The campaign which started in 2008 is in its 7th year and has gone round 31 major cities across Nigeria.

  • Road crashes: TRACE set to reduce fatal crashes

    The Ogun State Traffic Compliance and Enforcement Corps (TRACE) is committed to ensuring reduction in road traffic crashes statistics during this December the Corps’ Commander Ayo Sangofadeji has said.

    He disclosed this while speaking to newsmen on this year accident free day at the Corps’ Headquarters in Abeokuta.

    Sangofadeji said the Corps would intensify efforts on its public enlightenment programmes especially at motor parks across the state and bring erring motorists to book.

    “Our goal this year is to ensure reduction in road traffic accident compared to 2013. We will intensify efforts by way of enlightenment and strong enforcement,” he said.

    He said, the Corps is determined to prove a point to members of the public that ‘Ember’ month does not kill. He noted that what kills is poor driving attitude which needed to be addressed by ensuring total compliance to safety rules and regulations.

    Speaking on the role of passengers, the TRACE chief, advised them to be at alert at all times, watch drivers’ attitude, and manner of driving and report any behavior contrary to safety of lives to the appropriate authority.

    He said: “We have one driver to many passengers in a vehicle; one person should not be allowed to negatively dictate where the journey of the others would end.”

  • ‘Drive with fake driver’s licence, risk jail term’

    ‘Drive with fake driver’s licence, risk jail term’

    THE Vehicle Inspection Service (VIS) has warned motorists to shun obtaining drivers license through proxy or risk going to jail.
    The National Chairman, Conference of Directors of VIOs of the federation, Mr. Bayo Otuyemi, said this while speaking in his office in Abeokuta, the Ogun State capital on the high rate of crashes on the nation’s roads.
    Otuyemi who is also the Commander of the Ogun State Vehicle Inspection Service (VIS), said the VIOs in all the states of the federation would strictly enforce compliance of genuine driver’s licence because it has been discovered that many motorists still obtain their licence through proxies.
    He said some of the fatal crashes on the roads have been attributed to lack of driving skills, poor road signage knowledge and poor driving attitude all of which showed that they never went through driving school.
    He said: “Some drivers when arrested as a result of their inadequate knowledge of driving have been found in possession of fake licence, while many others have no driving licence. They lacked in-depth knowledge of the practical and theoretical aspects of driving which they ought to have known before been given a driver’s license that qualifies them to drive. Due to these shortcomings some of them lacked what it takes to drive on the highways because they knew nothing about traffic rules and regulations.
    He urged motorists to attend professional driving schools to acquire the proper training to drive on the highways and follow the due process of obtaining driver’s licence. Noting that henceforth, whoever is caught driving without the original driver’s licence will not only be fined but risk a jail term.
    The process of obtaining drivers’ license, according to him, has been linked with three agencies, State Board of Internal Revenue, Federal Road Safety Corps (FRSC) and the Department of Vehicle Inspections Office.
    He said applicants for driving licence must obtain provisional driving licence and will be issued a full driving licence on successful completion of the test and practical driving examination by the Vehicle Inspection Office.
    “Anyone who obtained a driver’s licence by proxy from any state or FRSC without being tested and certified competent to drive on Nigeria roads by a qualified vehicle inspection Officer, may have been issued a fake driving licence and would be prosecuted in the court for driving with fake documents,” he added.
    The VIO boss, strongly advised applicants for driving licence to visit the nearest FRSC’s office, Vehicle Inspection Office (VIO) or the State Board of Internal Revenue, for better advice in the processing of obtaining drivers’ license instead of patronising touts. Alternatively, applicants can submit an online application and must be both practically and theoretical tested and certified competent by a testing officer before they are issued drivers’ license.
    He also appealed to both federal and states’ owned road traffic management agencies to continue improving on enforcement capacity, technologies and public education/enlightenment campaign to ensure the country is competing with other advance countries on road crash-free.
    Otuyemi, also urged corporate body/organisations and commercial transport unions to join in the campaign against lawless driving which has led to wanton destruction of lives and property.
    He also appealed to motorists to ensure that their vehicles are in good condition before embarking on any journey.
    He called on government to increase the VIO’s workforce and provide them with equipments that would enhance their effectiveness and efficiency.

  • Coastal rail line: Govt signs $11.97b contract with China

    Coastal rail line: Govt signs $11.97b contract with China

    •May link Lagos to Abuja by rail next year

    The planned 1,402 km coastal rail line from Lagos to Calabar got underway last week, with the signing of $11.97 billion  contract between the Federal Government and China.

    The deputy chairman of China Railway Construction Corporation-China-Africa Construction Limited, Cao Baogang, signed the deal with the Transport Minister, Senator Idris Audu Umar, in Abuja.

    The railway will run through 10 states of the Southeast and the Southsouth’s Niger Delta, terminating at Calabar, the Cross River State capital.

    The trains for the route will travel at 120km/h and stop at 22 stations.

    The construction of the rail line will create an estimated 50,000 jobs directly and an additional 150,000 indirectly, while it will generate, after completion, between 20,000 to 30,000 jobs.

    The project will contribute nearly $4 billion of Chinese construction equipment, rolling stock, steel and electro-mechanical equipment exports, said Meng Fengchao, chairman and party secretary of China Railway Construction Corporation.

    Meanwhile, Nigerians will begin to enjoy a new train service from the Nigeria Railway Corporation (NRC), from next year, a top official of the corporation has said.

    The source, who craved anonymity, said in his office last week, that passengers would be able to connect the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Abuja from Lagos before December next year. He said passengers would make Abuja from Lagos in three hours, same for a return trip.

    He said the project, which would be the flagship of the transformed train service, would be made possible by the standard gauge tracks being built by the Federal Government.

    It would complement the Eastern line running from Port-Harcourt to Maiduguri, the first phase of which would come on stream next month.

    He said government began the phased construction of the standard gauge few years ago, adding that while some have been completed, others are at advanced stage. Some of them, he said, have just taken off to be completed before the third quarter of next year.

    He said: “The Federal Government is building a new  rail corridor for this initiative and it is being embarked upon in phases because it is capital intensive.

    “As we speak, Ajaokuta to Warri through Itakpe line has been completed. Abuja to Kaduna would be delivered by December, and work has already started on the Lagos to Ibadan standard gauge line.”

    The source said the standard gauge line, which has the capacity for modern, fast moving locomotives, would replace the existing narrow gauge and its attendant slow moving trains.

    He said the 3,500 kilometre long narrow gauge, which is 3.6 feet wide, is the oldest rail track system in the world and has been in operation in Nigeria since 1898, when it was constructed by the British colonial masters.

    He added that the existing narrow gauge and single track network no longer meets the nation’s rapidly growing development with over 70 per cent of transportation and 90 percent of the country’s social and economic activity relying on roads’ mode of transportation.

    He said: “For 116 years, we have served Nigerians through this line and our flagship, Western line – Lagos to Kano, is narrow gauge.”

    He said train  service is being invigorated in the country because it has the solution to the mass transit challenges facing the nation.

    The President-General of the National Union of Railway Workers (NUR), Comrade Raphael Okoro, said the new standard gauge, would on the long run, decongest the cities, making housing cheaper, and reduce cost of foodstuffs. “It would also create hundreds of jobs directly and indirectly. Most workers in advanced countries live in the interlands and connect the cities to their places of work by rail,” he said.

    Okoro praised the government for the attention being focused on the sub-sector, saying the train is globally acknowledged as the safest, most reliable and affordable means of transportation.

  • FRSC protests drivers’ bad road habits

    The Federal Road Safety Corps, Ota, Itori and Ifo Unit Commands have protested the poor attitude of some drivers on the Ogun State axis.

    The exercise, tagged: “Demonstration of public enlightenment,” was part of the special intervention programme for December.

    The Regular Marshals attached to the concerned commands displayed various placards some of which read: “Say no to overloading”; “no to excessive speeding”; “drive to save lives”; “road safety is a shared responsibility”; “one way constitutes dangerous driving and dangers to pedestrians”.

    Other placards had messages such as: “obey traffic rules”; “no to reckless driving”; “no to worn-out tyres”; “no to underaged drivers” and “driving without drivers’ licence is prohibited.

    The Ota Unit Commander, Mr. Sunday Omafu, said the exercise was organised following the inhuman attitude of some motorists who kill people like the Boko Haram insurgents on the roads.

    He recalled that a Mazda bus with registration number AGL139XF, is still on the Corps’ wanted list for hitting a Special Marshal on patrol at Lagos/Abeokuta Expressway, Ogun State, while trying to escape arrest; while another policeman was knocked down while crossing the expressway, at Dalemo Bus Stop in Ota Local Government Area of the state by a driver of a yellow  mini bus who drove against traffic.

    Omafu, appealed to drivers, okada operators and tricyclists to always see FRSC and other traffic management agencies as partners.

    He urged them to be disciplined and eschew attitudes that could warrant  their arrest.

    He said preventing an accident is better than being sorry and sober after the act.

    He spoke against over speeding, saying, it thrills, but kills. “Keep a  rein on your speed, so that you’ll be in control of the vehicle,” he said.

    He urged motorists to always obey traffic rules , which he said were designed with safety in mind.

    He advised motorists to always maintain good lane, obey recommended distance between vehicles and consider the pedestrians’ safety while driving.

    “It is important to display appropriate indicators or signals especially, while changing lanes or before a turn. Having respect for other drivers on the road is sacrosanct to road safety,” he said.

    He enjoined motorists to always wear seat belts, saying it is life saving. Due preference, he pleaded, should be given to pedestrians and children crossing the road, urging road users to be cognisant of caution signs to enable them reduce their speed. Vehicles, he advised,  must be in good working condition before embarking on a journey to avoid any compromise on quality.

    According to him, it is imperative to inflate tyres with the right air pressure to avoid tyre bursts on the road.

    He warned against other habits such asdrugs and alcohol injection driving and falling asleep behind the wheel, which he said had  led  too many to the grave.

    “Lack of adequate rest leaves adverse effect on mental alertness, slow down reflexes, and even causes momentary sleepiness behind the wheel,” he added.

  • Expert decries increase in road accidents

    A road safety expert has described the rise in accident statistics worldwide as worrisome. He challenged motorists to use the roads more responsibly.

    The Executive Director of Safety Without Borders, Mr Adenusi Patrick, who spoke on the World’s Day of Remembrance of Accident Victims, described as frightening, the yearly statistics of the deaths, the injured and the maimed, resulting from road accidents.

    According to him, the world might be going through an undeclared third world war with the rate of casualties from road crash.

    He said: “According to the United Nations, 1.3 million people die on world roads yearly and between 20-25 million people are injured and another five million sustained permanent disabilities. “Never has the world been so threatened by any scourge, and never did any  epidemic has the capacity to incur so heavy human casualty,” he said.

    Attempts to reduce this scary rate, he said, led to the declaration of a decade of action against road crashes in 2011 by the United Nations, which would end in 2020.

    Adenusi, who noted that road safety is everybody’s business, urged drivers to stop endangering their lives and those of their passengers due to lack of appropriate road etiquette.

    The safety chief, who noted that the “Ember” month is characterised by more long distance travels, asked motorists embarking on such to sleep well before their departure and avoid eating heavy foods that could make them drowsy when on wheels.

    He urged learners not to embark on long distance driving, but to limit their activites to within the metropolis, until they can gain more road confidence.

    “No one embarking on long travel should eat heavy starchy foods as this could lead to drowsiness. They should also flee from alcohol, which impairs their sense of judgment and avoid over speeding. Kill your speed before it kills you. Avoid close range overtaking, don’t overtake on a slope, a bend, or a hill and don’t undermine the speed of the driver driving opposite you,” he warned.

    He recommended that long distance drivers should observe a minimum of 15 minutes rest at regular intervals on the roads to avoid weariness.

    According to Adenusi, driver should ensure that their vehicles are road worthy and have all appropriate documents before putting them on the road.  .

    “You should ensure you change your tyres, and ensure that only unexpired tyres are used. Ensure your braking system is working perfectly and work on the light system to ensure they are in perfect condition.

    “Mend all cracks on your wind shield, change the wipers or wash them to avoid blurring your vision and clean your radiator to ensure effective cooling of your vehicle’s engines,” Adenusi said.