Lagos state government is set to test run its electronic central billing system for road traffic offences. The electronic platform will make it possible to generate bills and fines on traffic offences online and deliver such to offenders either at homes or offices, as obtained in some advanced economies.
The Lagos state governor recently ordered the Vehicle Inspection Officers (VIOS) off the road due to their unsatisfactory mode of operations is transitting from crude enforcement of traffic laws to the application of new technologies that will simplify the task and create convenience for motorists. Two computerised vehicle inspection centres have been completed at Ojodu-Berger and Ikorodu, while work on the third centre is at an advanced stage in Lagos Island.
The plan is to have the centres in the 20 local government areas of the state and in designated locations across the 37 local council development areas.
Acting Commissioner of Transportation, Mr. Aniofiu Elegushi said on Wednesday, that “Vehicle Inspection Service (VIS) of the state has embraced technology billing system by using Automatic Number Plate Recognition (ANPR), Radio Frequency Identification (RFID) and Central Billing System (CBS) technologies to run its activities in line with global best practice.”
According to Elegushi, the collection of data relating to vehicle documentations, which is the duty of VIS such as vehicle licence, road worthiness, insurance and others have been synchronised on e-platforms for easy verification of vehicle status on the spot, and any defaulting vehicle owner, through the data captured, will have bills generated through the Central Billing Systems (CBS) which in turn will be delivered to the defaulter’s home or office address as the case may be.
He explained that the harmonisation of the road worthiness certificate and MOT test was to further enhance the efficiency of vehicles plying Lagos roads as this would help the state consolidate its movement away from physical and manual inspection of vehicles to the computerised method.
Elegushi, however, alerted members of the public to observe the activities of officers of the vehicle inspection service of Ogun State in some areas and locations close to the state boundary adding that these officers can easily be taken for Lagos vehicle inspection officers as the service’s officers uniforms are the same nationwide.
To ensure that the situation is remedied, Elegushi said efforts are at advanced stage to clearly identify the state’s boundary from that of its sister state to prevent such misconceptions. He urged motorists in the State to continue to be partners in progress towards making the State safe and secure for all by voluntarily undertaking their responsibilities under extant laws regulating the operation of vehicles among others.
