The Ondo State Government on Wednesday gave commercial drivers three weeks to register with the State Information Technology Agency (SITA).
Dr Doyin Odebowale, the Senior Special Assistant (SSA) to the state governor on Special Duties, gave the directive in a statement by Miss Yewande Adelaja, the Head of Information Ondo State Internal Revenue Service (ODIRS) and SITA.
”It will be in the interest of the commercial drivers to register as soon as possible across the 18 local government areas in the state as enforcement would commence soon.
“The immediate importance to us is the issue of security. We are not going to compromise this. Security comes first.
“It is unimaginable that in 2021, we have taxis operating in the state and the government does not know them. We do not know the drivers and the vehicles.
“Many cars on the roads are used for commercial purposes and there is no means of identification or whatsoever,’’ he said.
Odebowale said that the state government has insisted that all taxis, all commercial vehicles operating in Ondo state must be registered.
”Everybody who is going to drive commercial vehicles in the state must be registered.
”The government will not accept any other form of registration from any commercial driver or vehicle except the one done by SITA or ODIRS.
”There is need for all commercial drivers to have a valid drivers’ licences before registering.
‘`We are not interested with what happens within any union. It is not our business.
“Nobody is permitted to register any vehicle other than SITA. SITA will register and capture the data of the drivers and the vehicles upon payment of N2, 000 each,’’ he said.
He noted that an identification card would be issued to every taxi driver upon payment as well as a special number that would be assigned to every registered vehicle.
Odebowale said that the number must be conspicuously displayed on the body of the car at both sides.
The aide warned that no private vehicle would be allowed to operate as taxi in the state and directed that all taxis must bear the state commercial colour, which is blue and yellow.
Odebowaleb advised residents to patronise only registered vehicles bearing the colour of the state as well as the assigned numbers, saying that interstate buses and trucks would commence soon.
Also speaking, the Chairman, SITA, Mr Olumbe Akinkugbe, said that all personnel for the exercise had been trained and are ready to begin work. (NAN)
