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By Moses Akaigwe
The Lagos State Ministry of Transportation has unveiled a renewed enforcement drive to strengthen regulatory compliance across the state’s commercial transport sector, with a focus on public safety.
The initiative, being executed through its Directorate of Public Transport and Commuter Services (PTCS), is aimed at enhancing public safety, commuter security, accountability and effective enforcement of transportation standards.
Disclosing this, the Director of Public Transport and Commuter Services, Mr. Nuhman Edu, said the new framework captures a coordinated operational synergy between the PTCS, the Vehicle Inspection Service (VIS) and the Lagos State Traffic Management Authority (LASTMA).
According to him, the collaboration will address critical safety compliance gaps, including the lack of proper commuter vehicle registration, vehicle body tags, stage carriage permits, drivers’ badges and conductors’ badges among commercial transport operators.
Edu explained that the synergy with VIS and LASTMA would strengthen the verification of safety documents, especially during routine enforcement operations. “Where a vehicle is found to be non-compliant, enforcement or compliance procedures will be initiated strictly in accordance with extant laws, regulations, approved guidelines and established operational procedures,” he said.
He stressed that properly identified vehicles and drivers would be traceable, a move that would enhance accountability among transport operators, aid investigations into vehicles used to commit crimes and ensure the prompt resolution of commuter complaints.
To ensure effective compliance, Edu noted that the framework would clearly define the roles and responsibilities of all agencies across six key areas: verification of prescribed PTCS products and documentation; recording and documentation of vehicle compliance status; as well as identification and documentation of non-compliance cases.
Other key areas are initiation of appropriate enforcement or corrective measures; reporting, information exchange and data-sharing among the agencies; and referral of cases requiring further administrative or regulatory action to the appropriate authority.
The Director added that commuter safety and security remained the major motivation for regulating public transportation. He said the Ministry would engage transport unions and associations through stakeholder meetings, media campaigns and sensitisation programmes to help operators understand the objectives, requirements and procedures of the compliance initiative.
Edu further disclosed that the Ministry had resolved to establish continuous monitoring, evaluation and assessment of compliance levels statewide, with a clear reporting and feedback mechanism for communicating compliance gaps and emerging issues for timely resolution.
