Lagos govt warns motorists against use of defective number plates

Lagos State government has warned motorists against the use of defective vehicle registration number plates on Lagos roads, even as it urged those without any number fixed on their vehicles to desist from the unlawful act, which it said is against Sections 15 and 16 of the State’s Transport Reform Law 2018.

Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Transportation, Engr. Abdulhafiz Toriola gave this warning on Sunday in a statement issued by Mrs. Bolanle Ogunlola, Deputy Director, Public Affairs of the ministry, a copy of which was made available to newsmen, noting sadly the anomaly of wrongful use of the number plate, which had become rampant in the state.

According to Toriola, covering of number plate without authorisation, use of faded number plate, use of damaged number plate, misuse of the number plate, and non-use of number plate all violates the law, especially with the present security challenges facing the nation.

The permanent secretary, while citing Section 16 of the Lagos State Transport Sector Reform Law (TSRL) 2018, reiterated that “a person, who drives a vehicle that is not registered, or does not have affixed identification mark in the prescribed manner, commits an offence.”

Highlighting the need for vehicles to be properly registered with number plates, Engr Toriola opined that a no-number vehicle can be used to commit crimes that may never be tracked, pointing out that the purpose of using a number plate was for proper identification and security “as it is personalised for each vehicle.”

“The purpose of using number plate is for proper identification and security as it is personalised for each vehicle,” he said.

The permanent secretary, therefore, enjoined motorists to use water and non-chemical to wash the number plates of their vehicles to prevent them from being damaged.

Speaking further, Toriola frowned upon the misuse of the number plates, declaring that the use of private number plates for commercial vehicles and otherwise also violates the TSRL, 2018.

This was just as he urged individuals who were at the moment not willing to register their vehicles for one reason or another, to contact the Motor Vehicle Administration Agency (MVAA) in the state for the issuance of a Temporary Vehicle Tag (TVT) in line with Section 193 of the TSRL, 2018, pending their final decision on permanent registration or otherwise.

He, therefore, urged vehicle owners to comply with the state government’s directives to strengthen the security architecture already put in place, insisting that the Law Enforcement Agencies had the mandate to apprehend defaulters.

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