Commissioner for Transportation, Comrade Kayode Opeifa who made the clarification in Lagos said the exercise ought to attract a fee but that it is done without any charge.
He said the exercise which should have lasted for only two months has dragged on for the last eight months due to the low response by owners and operators. This he said is affecting the full implementation of the State Public Transportation Management System that is to lead to improved efficiency and effectiveness of public transport, leading to upscale economic growth, job and wealth creation and the promotion of a safe, reliable, efficient, sustainable and secure public transport system that can earn the trust of the public.
He said further that so far, only 944 Commercial Mass Transit Buses, 13,839 Commercial Buses, 7, 092 Commercial Taxis, 2,194 Commercial Kabu-Kabu, 221 Car Hire Vehicles and 2,169 Tricycles totaling 26,459 have so far been registered with more than an estimated 30,000 operators yet to comply.
He therefore used the opportunity to thank the leadership of the various Transport Unions especially the National Union of Road Transport Workers (NURTW) and the Taxi Co-operatives for their co-operation and support.
He called on Road Transport Employers association of Nigeria (RTEAN) and the Tricycle Operators to emulate the examples of the NURTW and Taxi co-operatives to mobilize their members to participate en-masse in the registration exercise in the drive to have a dependable, predictable, reliable and sustainable transport system that would ensure good return on their investment and earn them dignity, recognition and respect from the society.
