By OLASUNKANMI AKONI

EIGHT days after commencement, Lagos state commercial bus owners and drivers have snubbed the re-certification exercise introduced by the government as the second phase of the Traffic Law signed by Governor Babatunde Fashola on August 2, 2012.

While the drivers’ umbrella union ,the National Union of Road Transport Workers, NURTW, is saying its members are not ready for the exercise, the state government is breathing fire and brimstone, saying the Nigeria Police, Lagos State Traffic Management Authority, LASMA, a Special task force and other security agencies have been charged to ensure compliance and enforcement.

Transportation Commissioner, Mr Kayode Opeifa, who is in the forefront of the re-certification, condemned the low turn out by those concerned, saying the state government would begin to sanction any commercial motorists who fail to comply by January 1, 2014.  He promised that his ministry would begin mobilisation of motorists from their motor parks across the state.

So far, only 52 vehicle owners, 132 drivers and 86 conductors have appeared for re-accreditation. “This is worrisome and we are not going to extend the date, any offender(s) will be sanctioned appropriately,” he said

However, the measure seems unpopular with public transport operators, especially commercial bus drivers popularly called “Danfo Drivers”, who accused the state government of planning to phase them out of business.

Re-registration exercise

Most drivers, who spoke with Vanguard, denied any knowledge of the re-registration exercise in spite of the claims by state government of holding meetings with leadership of various transport unions on the exercise.

When contacted, Chairman of the Nigeria Union of Road Transport Workers, NURTW, Lagos State branch, Alhaji Tajudeen Agbede, confirmed that there had been series of meetings with the state government’s representatives led by the Commissioner for Transportation “but talks are still on-going on a number of unresolved issues concerning the new regulations.

“We agreed on the re-accreditation exercise and we have directed our members to show up for the exercise but we did not mention the aspect of uniform and badges. We are still on the negotiation table. I believe we are going to achieve a common goal at the end of the day,” Agbede stated.

Rasheed Ayinla, a bus driver, when asked his view, said: “Which accreditation are you talking about? Lagos government has come again to extort us. I am, not aware of this exercise and moreso, I do not think my co-drivers are aware too. We won’t accept this. After all, I have my Driver’s Licence and pay other levies why are they coming up with this again? It is unacceptable.”

Akeem Olubiyi, a conductor, wondered why he should put on  uniform to work. “Why is Lagos always looking for a way to inflict pains on the masses, why the uniform? Where has such been done before? This will not work. The State government wants to make money through the sale of uniforms and badges, haba!!. This is too much.”

The process of re-accreditation  involves the physical examination of vehicles and particulars to ascertain thier road worthiness status and the submission of detailed personal data of the commercial vehicle owner who thereafter will be issued a public transport operator is licence.

Also, drivers and conductors are to visit any of the five Drivers Institutes spread across the state where they will be accredited and issued with unique Lagos commercial passenger vehicle driver’s and conductor’s badge after completing the mandatory LASDRI training.

It also includes the re-introduction of commuter bus routing scheme, commercial passenger vehicle licencing, corporate outlook for transport operators, that is use of uniforms and badges and the implementation of passenger insurance for all commercial passenger vehicles on state roads.

Opeifa assured residents that; “the accreditation exercise was also to ensure security and safety among the citizens of the state, saying many security challenges often experienced in the state  result from continuous operation by several unregistered vehicle owners which will  be addressed if all vehicle owners are captured in the state data.”