Why We Set Up Committee On Abandoned Vehicles —Opeifa

The Lagos State Commissioner for Transportation, Kayode Opeifa, has explained that the Babatunde Fashola administration decided to set up the Committee on Abandoned Vehicles because of the nuisance such vehicles have always caused in the state.

Opeifa stated at the inauguration of the committee on Friday that there has been public outcry over the alarming rate of abandoned and disused vehicles in the state.

He said it was as a result of this that the governor approved the creation of the committee to remove such vehicles from the streets.

While maintaining that the government is working to ensure sanity among the people, the commissioner said the mission of his ministry is to “ensure free flow of traffic and transport infrastructure development with the primary goal of achieving stress free movement of people and goods across the state and to ease motor vehicle administration for investment growth.

“The committee has the primary responsibility of removing abandoned, disused and junk vehicles from Lagos roads.

Abandoned vehicles, to him, are not only vehicles that cannot be self-propelled or moved in the manner it was originally intended to move, but also vehicles that do not display their current licence plate and are partially dismantled or wrecked.

He also said any vehicle that has been declared a health or safety hazard, found to have become a breeding ground for mosquitoes and other insects, rats and other pests, fall in the category.

Also declared as abandoned vehicles are those which have become a point of heavy growth of weeds or other noxious vegetation over 10 inches heigh or one so situated that there is danger of it falling or turning over.

While congratulating members of the 15-man committee led by Prince Bisi Adedokun, he urged them to carry out their assignment effectively.

Meanwhile, Mr. Opeifa has disclosed that the state government would soon embark on the training of public and private school bus drivers in the state.