Computerised Driver’s Licence: Investor appeals for FG, stakeholders’ synergy

The need for proper synergy between private investors and Federal Government agencies saddled with responsibilities of ensuring proper and safe road transportation has been re-emphasised.

The collaboration, which is said to be the only missing link in shaping a model in road transport policy, is to bring all stakeholders under one umbrella to develop a blueprint for the Nigerian road.

Chairman/Chief Executive Officer of Driver’s Testing Resources Ltd, Prince Segun Obayendo, made this call last Thursday during a one day workshop organised by the Federal Road Safety Commission for all driving school operators in the entire country.
Obayando, while making a presentation during the workshop, reiterated the need for all the driving schools in Nigeria to heed to the call as that is the only way to bring all vehicle operators under one umbrella.

He said that as a technical provider to the project of ensuring that there is the modern scientific way of certifying drivers and the provision of driving licence, that his company is ready to offer the service across the nation.

While urging the participants, who were drawn from owners of driving schools across the country, Obayando decried wrong ways in which Nigerians toe to archive success.
According to him, the driving school operators should henceforth stop patronising lawless
Nigerians by insisting that they follow the due process and do the right thing.

I am telling you this because you are the ones the people approach to acquire the initial knowledge about driving and the onus is on you to help recommend to the appropriate authority for the provision of driving license which henceforth will be computerized. Our own is to provide technical manpower needed. I can also tell you that we are at every states of the country to provide the services as well as well-trained manpower, which stands us out as the sole provider of computerised vehicles inspection at the moment,”Obayando said.

On the effective takeoff of the computerised vehicle licence earlier announced by the organisation, he further explained that the project has been put on hold just to enable many states key into the programme which is to bring a permanent solution to issues of half-baked drivers across Nigeria.

He said: “We have about seven states that have keyed into the programme and are ready to commence along other ones. We are going to commence very soon but we want the numbers to get to at least one third of 36 states of the Federation so that others who are yet to join may get along subsequently. Part of our reasons for the technical delay, is that we are waiting to seal an understanding with the mother ministry which is the Federal ministry of Transportation so it is a national project.

Obayando, while admonishing the driving schools operators, stressed that those who participated in driving schools are not qualified drivers as their abilities are to henceforth be confirmed by being subjected to computerised Highway Code examination tests.

He also advised the operators as commercial business men to always work in line with Government guidelines in order not to cause any damage to the system as every country has standard of road safety. He however, urge them to ensure that those who operate illegally are brought to book and be meant to face consequences.

Why I am saying this is to bring to mind that there is no country where Government provides everything to the people and that is why some of us from the private sectors are bring in our expertise to contribute in developing Nigeria. And I suggest that you too as individual business men should be law abiding to help Government create an enabling ground for us our business to thrive,” he said.