'We’re back on Lagos roads' - Vehicle Inspection Service announces

The Vehicle Inspection Service (VIS) in Lagos State says its officers are back on Lagos roads to carry out statutory life-saving mandates through enforcement of motor vehicles’ roadworthiness.

Akin-George Fashola, Director of VIS, made this known in Lagos on Thursday, November 21st adding that residents of the state, especially road users thought Vehicle Inspection Officers (VIOs) were off the roads.  

The immediate past Governor of the state, Akinwunmi Ambode, banned VIOs from operating on the roads. Fashola said: “Since the advent of this administration, citizens still believe that VIS or VIOs are still off the roads. We are not off the roads.

“As a matter of fact, we are back on the roads to do the needful. We have embraced a lot of new practices and procedures. We have embraced technology and that still needs the presence of VIOs on our roads in Lagos to mitigate where technology is limited.  

“The presence of VIOs is required, so we are on the road. A lot of people still believe that we are still under the previous ban from the road.’’

According to him, the period of the ban, was an avenue for the vehicle inspectors to strategise and come back with fresh and new ideas and ways of performing the statutory duties the VIS is charged with. He said that for the entire period when the VIS was off the road, most drivers and vehicle owners became careless about roadworthiness, particulars and conditions of their vehicles.

“For the period that we were not on the road, a lot of people became relaxed and do as they pleased, whereas part of the reasons for that our off-road operation was to allow citizens to do their civic responsibilities.  

“Part of such responsibilities is to ensure that their vehicles are always in top shape as well as obtaining driver’s licence and renewal of vehicles’ particulars but that was not the case.  

“Some of the citizens are having difficulties with us being on the road now and we are also having difficulties with them because they don’t want to believe that we are back on roads,’’ the VIO boss said.

On the impact of the VIS, Fashola said that VIS was progressively moving in the right direction and improving on its services toward the citizens of the state. According to him, going forward, the VIS will make adjustment in its daily procedures and how it interacts with the citizens of the state.