I was at a friends house yesterday (Saturday) and they were watching LTV, a program on safety. They had several guests on various aspects of safety.
What is pertinent here was a guy from the Lagos government who was outlining the plans of the state agency (I was not able to get the name of the particular agency )
to ensure that vehicles are road worthy. This is the plan:

1. Stop recognizing out of state documents (Only recognize DL's, M.O.T etc issued in Lagos)
2. Station their enforcement officers on the expressways at the borders of Lagos, and turn back trucks (petrol tankers etc) with non Lagos M. O.T certificates
3. Station their enforcement officers at the petrol depots and the ports and seize any trucks (petrol tankers, trailers etc) with non Lagos M. O.T certificates
4. Seal the offices (in Lagos) of the owners of these trucks.

To give the guy his due, he did recognize that the above action would be against the current laws of Nigeria but he made one of those statements that only a Nigerian can make  I quote him "Even if this is illegal as a state government we can do it". He further went on to say they are aware that this will almost certainly provoke a reaction from the unions like NUPENG, MOST LIKELY AN INDEFINITE STRIKE, BUT THEY HAVE DISCUSSED THIS AND HAVE DECIDED THAT THEY DON'T CARE AND NIGERIANS WOULD JUST HAVE TO TAKE IT LIKE THAT.

He further stated that they (the Lagos agency) has already informed the FRSC of there intentions and we (the hapless citizens) would soon see them in action.


As Lagos is an ACN state, my friends and I immediately saw a political motive behind this "care" that the state government has for us. Anyway as any such strike will paralyze the fuel supply of the entire country, we are ALL in for more pain as there is going to be a strike brought to us curtsy of our loving Lagos state government.

@Poster, does not seem a bad move if you really consider the reality of the situation and the many problems and pains this has caused Lagosians in recent years. I think it is time someone do something about the problem and if it has to start with Lagos, fine!

Kobojunkie:

@Poster, does not seem a bad move if you really consider the reality of the situation and the many problems and pains this has caused Lagosians in recent years. I think it is time someone do something about the problem and if it has to start with Lagos, fine!

And, nothing bothers you about its illegality?

stranger:

And, nothing bothers you about its illegality?

Aside from the obvious illegality, what about the hardship and economic disruption this will cause?

johndoe200:

Aside from the obvious illegality, what about the hardship and economic disruption this will cause?

What OBVIOUS illegality are you referring to?

Kobojunkie:

What OBVIOUS illegality are you referring to?

I don't know if you live in Nigeria, but here vehicle documents issued in ANY of the federating states are LEGAL documents in any other state. No state can just wake up one morning and decide that they are not accepting documents from another state. That is the illegality. If Lagos wants to do this they know the procedures to follow.

Kobojunkie:

@Poster, does not seem a bad move if you really consider the reality of the situation and the many problems and pains this has caused Lagosians in recent years. I think it is time someone do something about the problem and if it has to start with Lagos, fine!

It is obviously illegal for any state to attempt what Lagos wants to do, regardless of the so called sufferings Lagosians are going through (if any compared to other parts of the country). I bet such illegalities are not abound in the USA.

How many states have a well-equipped M.O.T center like Lagos State?
The trailer accidents in Lagos are caused by vehicles from other states.
It is most important to either ensure that they tested in Lagos state or they are
not allowed to ply Lagos roads,

olafolarin:

How many states have a well-equipped M.O.T center like Lagos State?
The trailer accidents in Lagos are caused by vehicles from other states.
It is most important to either ensure that they tested in Lagos state or they are
not allowed to ply Lagos roads,

This is not true, many states have M. O. T. centers, that are even better than the ones in Lagos.

johndoe200:

I don't know if you live in Nigeria, but here vehicle documents issued in ANY of the federating states are LEGAL documents in any other state. No state can just wake up one morning and decide that they are not accepting documents from another state. That is the illegality. If Lagos wants to do this they know the procedures to follow.

I don't have to live in Nigeria or be right in front of you to know what happens and is legal/illegal in Nigeria. I don't think here that Lagos is requiring they don't have documents from other states. It seems more the case that the drivers will be required to have, in addition, a document issued in Lagos. So, again, I don't see your obviously illegal claim.

9ijaMan:

It is obviously illegal for any state to attempt what Lagos wants to do, regardless of the so called sufferings Lagosians are going through (if any compared to other parts of the country). I bet such illegalities are not abound in the USA.

What illegalities? Please lets stick to the Nigerian context, shall we??

@Johndoe

is this a reaction to the several tanker/trailer fires?

Wouldnt it be easier/proper if LASG together with the FRSC initiate some sort of programme with the help of the NA to revamp M.O.T and re-organise Drivers' license acquisition?

I read some time ago that LASTMA will now be seizing any license that is not from the Lagos state drivers' institute, apparently they went about telling people fake officials issued them and not on the database

Kobojunkie:

I don't have to live in Nigeria or be right in front of you to know what happens and is legal/illegal in Nigeria. I don't think here that Lagos is requiring they don't have documents from other states. It seems more the case that the drivers will be required to have, in addition, a document issued in Lagos. So, again, I don't see your obviously illegal claim.

Well that will be extortion wouldnt it? A bit like double taxation already crippling business

Dis Guy:

Well that will be extortion wouldnt it? A bit like double taxation already crippling business

Which is OBVIOUSLY illegal. I am a bit surprised that our own Kobo can't see the illegality in this.
****SMH***
*****Oma she o*****

Dis Guy:

Well that will be extortion wouldnt it? A bit like double taxation already crippling business

Yeah, one could call it extortion but who knows, the Lagos documents may come free to those who already have out-of-state documents. I don't know enough of the details here for me to make absolute statements of this yet. I think the main reason for the move is to ensure all those vehicles are roadworthy, by Lagos Standards. We are talking here of a state that reports a tanker fire almost every month, with fatalities. It makes sense that something need to be done and I am more than certain that not much is happening about this at the federal level.

This is the same state that has tried on various occasions to get FERMA to partner with it in order to get many of the federal roads road worthy, with not much result there.

Kobojunkie:

Yeah, one could call it extortion but who knows, the Lagos documents may come free to those who already have out-of-state documents. I don't know enough of the details here for me to make absolute statements of this yet. I think the main reason for the move is to ensure all those vehicles are roadworthy, by Lagos Standards. We are talking here of a state that reports a tanker fire almost every month, with fatalities. It makes sense that something need to be done and I am more than certain that not much is happening about this at the federal level.

This is the same state that has tried on various occasions to get FERMA to partner with it in order to get many of the federal roads road worthy, with not much result there.

Well we dont have much information but i doubt anything free will come free from the state considering the response from the dude.

The Lagos govt with all its media might and sophistication should be able to convince the federal govt to do something, if tehy have tried it would have been in the papers knowing how well they love positive response- they have not tried or tried enough in my opinion and with most things Lagos is not pulling its weight on a national level ACN or not, Lagos alone could turn the whole nation against Jonathan inaudibles Goodluck, so the have an opportunity to get Federal govt attention.
No state has been able to get FERMA to repair their road and it's not like Lagos govt have been able fix their own portion outside of V.I and Lekki

How about a national round table to get the discussion rolling i doubt anyone at the federal level will be oppose to this, Lagos have visible senators and house of rep members, this call seems very quick, desperate and not well thought and i hope he isnt speaking for the govt

Dis Guy:

Well we dont have much information but i doubt anything free will come free from the state considering the response from the dude.

Like I said, I don’t want to pass judgment here until I get the facts. All I know from the much I have read, it does not seem a bad idea.

Dis Guy:

The Lagos govt with all its media might and sophistication should be able to convince the federal govt to do something, if tehy have tried it would have been in the papers knowing how well they love positive response- they have not tried or tried enough in my opinion and with most things Lagos is not pulling its weight on a national level ACN or not, Lagos alone could turn the whole nation against Jonathan inaudibles Goodluck, so the have an opportunity to get Federal govt attention.

No state government has been able to convince the federal to do anything in that country. There have been stories over the past 3 years on the brawl and nothing, from the much I know, has come of it. That Goodluck actually committed money to helping the recent Lagos flood victims, was itself considered a miracle by many in the area, even my aunt.
But, you could be right about Lagos being able to do more in that area however, I doubt it. The reason being the man, Fashola cannot fight for a whole nation if the people are not even on his side in the fight. He is a governor and has a lot of work to do himself. Not all the bad roads in Lagos belong to the federal and it will make no sense for him to focus his energy on the federal government when there is so much more the state itself has yet to do.

Dis Guy:

No state has been able to get FERMA to repair their road and it's not like Lagos govt have been able fix their own portion outside of V.I and Lekki

How about a national round table to get the discussion rolling i doubt anyone at the federal level will be oppose to this, Lagos have visible senators and house of rep members, this call seems very quick, desperate and not well thought and i hope he isnt speaking for the govt

I think Lagos needs to focus first on getting it’s issues corrected, then it can work on organizing a round table with the backing of the people. I am sure FERMA knows it has a job to do and does not have to wait for Lagos to do it’s job.

i am in full support with the principle

the execution is where we may have issues, as the show will be run by nigerians - who in the end, will sign anything for the right 'due and customary'

thy should extend it to trailers in general.

there are far too many vehicles on the road that should be in the scrapyard and there are gfar too many people in the haulage business who have no business being there

trailers with their bad brakes , i-diot drivers and deceript engines etal, are another reason lagos traffic is life threatening.

And hopefully they actually make the issue of car insurance a priority so people wont be exchanging blows or begging each other on the road

I still don't understand why we have Lastma/FRSC officials not chasing people without M.O.T and Insurance

Dis Guy:

And hopefully they actually make the issue of car insurance a priority so people wont be exchanging blows or[b] begging each other on the road[/b]

I still don't understand why we have Lastma/FRSC officials not chasing people without M.O.T and Insurance

i swear ehn. . .

On the whole it is an invitation to anarchy. What stops the other states from doing the same thing. I think all right minded people should oppose this action. If the state government wants to change the system, they know how to do it. The M. O. T certificate is the only document, that is issued by states. All they will succeed in doing is making sure that this too will be taken away from them.

johndoe200:

On the whole it is an invitation to anarchy. What stops the other states from doing the same thing. I think all right minded people should oppose this action. If the state government wants to change the system, they know how to do it. The M. O. T certificate is the only document, that is issued by states. All they will succeed in doing is making sure that this too will be taken away from them.

Kobo is not right minded

She is crazy!

I wonder why people are criticizing a forward thinking government from doing what is right

dappssee:

I wonder why people are criticizing a forward thinking government from doing what is right

Maybe because they want them to do WHAT IS LEGAL. But hell we are in Nigeria, we only expect the citizens to do what is legal, while government officials can do anything right?

dappssee:

I wonder why people are criticizing a forward thinking government from doing what is right

The people have every right to criticize government --- that is what democracy means. Forward thinking for one group maybe backward thinking for another!

johndoe200:

Maybe because they want them to do WHAT IS LEGAL. But hell we are in Nigeria, we only expect the citizens to do what is legal, while government officials can do anything right?

You have yet to show us the OBVIOUS illegalities which you continue to claim exists. I am moved to believe you have little understanding of what this move really means.

^^^

Kobo why are you ignoring me?

Kobojunkie:

You have yet to show us the OBVIOUS illegalities which you continue to claim exists. I am moved to believe you have little understanding of what this move really means.

Look , the traffic regulations guiding vehicle documents are not issued at state level, they federal wide regulations. In this country there are those regulations that are within the ambit of the states to make or amend. This is a FEDERAL issue. Is this clear enough. No state government can decide that they are going to change these without the consent of the body / bodies that regulate these issues.

This is a relatively simple issue, they could have simply tried to amend these regulations the legal way, but I suspect that they are aware of the reaction they will receive from the other states who have equal say on this.

No state has jurisdiction over what constitutes a valid vehicle document in the Federal Republic of Nigeria. This is a SOLE function of the Federal Government.

Is there anything else you don't understand?

johndoe200:

Look , the traffic regulations guiding vehicle documents are not issued at state level, they federal wide regulations. In this country there are those regulations that are within the ambit of the states to make or amend. This is a FEDERAL issue. Is this clear enough. No state government can decide that they are going to change these without the consent of the body / bodies that regulate these issues.

This is a relatively simple issue, they could have simply tried to amend these regulations the legal way, but I suspect that they are aware of the reaction they will receive from the other states who have equal say on this.

No state has jurisdiction over what constitutes a valid vehicle document in the Federal Republic of Nigeria. This is a SOLE function of the Federal Government.

Is there anything else you don't understand?

Again, rather than giving me your own twist on the particular regulation, which I still think has little to do with this proposal, considering the little information we have on it, can you please provide a link to the particular FRSC regulations you feel the state will be going against by making the Lagos state document mandatory for all Lagos and non-Lagos drivers who pass through or drive through Lagos state roads? I would really like to see for myself what you mean.

It must be for show. This issue will die a quick death in court. No state can pass laws superceding an explicit FG law. Shikena.

I do not see what is illegal about this, the state government is responsible for safety on the roads, for your information, 90 percent of driver's license is processed by the state government, the FRSC only takes your pictures and print.

^^

It doesn't matter if it was processed by state government or FRSC, the point is what ever is valid in state A is also valid in state B. It is like saying having a degree in accounting say Nigeria cannot be used to obtain an accounting job in Ghana. Lagos state is part of the federal republic and this is highly illegal.

The OP is obviously anti-fashola. The thread topic is misleading.