Why some Lagos vehicle number plates fade — Commissioner

The Lagos State Commissioner for Transportation, Mr Oluwaseun Osiyemi on Tuesday revealed that some Lagos State vehicle numbers plates fade due to the use of very corrosive detergents by vehicle owners to wash their vehicles.

This is even as Osiyemi blamed behavioral pattern for persistent encroachment of Red Line Right-of-Way.

Mr. Oluwaseun Osiyemi, disclosed this on Tuesday during the Year 2025 Ministerial Press Briefing held in Alausa. Lagos.

The event marked the second anniversary of Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu’s second term, showcasing major strides in the transport sector under the THEMES+ agenda.

Responding to questions on why some Plate Numbers produced in Lagos fade, the Commissioner for Transportation stated that, “Firstly, I would like to say that the material we use for plate numbers are of very high quality.

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“But like we all know, even if you buy a brand new car today, if you do not maintain it well or do it well, there will be problems.

“So mostly when you see some of those plate numbers that fade, it’s a function of the kind of material that we use to wash our cars.

“There are some very corrosive detergents that we use sometimes that messes up the plate numbers.

“Be that as it may, we have also noticed that this is a factor, and we’ve improved the quality of the material that we use to ensure that we can get longevity and a longer time on this plate number.

“But the truth is that even man as a person has a lifetime. So those plate numbers, too, at some point would have a lifetime.

“And I want to believe five years to seven years is more than enough time to do that. So we’re trying to ensure that it goes more than three years that you mentioned, maybe between five and seven years, I think is a fair thing to say.”

On the suspension of the Electronic Call-Up system at the Lekki-Epe corridor, Mr. Osiyemi explained that what was suspended was enforcement, and not the E-Call-Up itself.

“On the E-Call-Up along Lekki-Epecorridor, we did suspend enforcement, we did not suspend or terminate the E-Call-Up.

“And why did we do that? There was an enforcement that was done, which, of course, affected the tanker drivers.

“And we’ve had conversations on how to work better and ensure that such does not, of course, happen anymore.

“There’s a last meeting that should happen this week. Once that is done, enforcement will begin.

“Don’t forget, all of these trailer drivers we’re talking about come from different states in Nigeria.

“So we had to go through a lot of engagement. But as we speak, we have been able to reach out to everyone concerned, and we’ll be able to commence once we finish or conclude on our final meeting this week.

“All of what you need, the truck parks are there. All the RFIDs are tagged. All the people have registered now.

“All the stakeholders within the Lekki Free Trade Zone, Dangote, Lekki Deep Seaport, Tolerance, everybody involved there, they’ve also complied and locked onto the E-Call-Up because there’s no way that we can thrive in that area without the E-Call-Up,” Mr. Osiyemi explained.

On encroachment along the Lagos Red Line Right-of-Way, the Transportation Commissioner blamed behavioral pattern of people for the persistent encroachment.

“I would like to share that there’s a big difference between the Blue line and the Red line.

“The Blue line is more electric and is a dedicated line that we control. So because the rail is electric people cannot go on it.

“But for the Red line, interestingly, we co-share that line with the Nigerian Railway Corporation (NRC).

“Behavioral patterns have grown over the years for people to go on those tracks to sell. So it takes a lot of enforcement to try and take out that behavioral pattern and knock them back to shape that trains actually do kill.

“I’m sure we’ve all seen all forms of videos that have gone viral with people not even moving or flinching when the train is passing.

“We constantly go to enforce. We move them off the track. But point noted, the Agege section will be revisited again.

“Again, it is important that when you co-share a track, you also need to be mindful of how you manage it with your partner. So all of those things are critical.

“We will visit that place again and ensure consistent enforcement would keep going on until we get what we need to get,” The Lagos Transportation Commissioner added.

 

NIGERIAN TRIBUNE