Yusuf Suberu, VIO Mayors National Coordinator Says Vehicle Licensing is Not for Revenue Generation

Dr Yusuf John Suberu, the National Coordinator of VIO Mayors has said vehicle licensing is not for revenue generation but a core mandate of Vehicle Inspection Officers to test for proficient of vehicles and its user.

He stated this in an address during a courtesy call on Mallam Nasiru El-Rufai, governor of Kaduna State, on Monday.

See address below;

AN ADDRESS PRESENTED BY DR YUSUF JOHN SUBERU, NATIONAL CO-ORDINATOR, VIO MAYORS DURING THE COURTESY VISIT ON HIS EXCELLENCY, MALLAM NASIRU EL-RUFAI, GOVERNOR OF KADUNA STATE, TO PRESENT AN AWARD OF EXCELLENCE DATED MONDAY 7 FEBRUARY 2022

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Your Excellency, sir, it gives me utmost enjoy and honour to meet you in the hallow chambers of your office today. We the members of the VIO Mayors find you a worthy ambassador of democracy for your immense gigantic projects embarked upon to ameliorate the sufferings of the good people of Kaduna State.

We thank you for your kind approval of this courtesy visit within a short notice, and opening your doors to us.

Your Excellency, the VIO Mayors is the voluntary arm of the Vehicle Inspection Officers of the Federation. As you may be aware, VIO is spread across the 36 states of the federation including the FCT with the sole responsibility of inspecting of cars used on Nigerian roads. Established in February 1949, the Vehicle Inspection Service came to being as a result of the dire need to curb the use of malfunctioned vehicles on Nigerian roads. Also, it was charged with the responsibilities of regulating and controlling vehicular traffic on the country’s highways as well as licensing of such vehicles and persons in charge of it.

VIO Mayors is an established arm to provide support to the VIOs. The VIO Mayors are made up of people with proven integrity in society that have the heart of community service to ensure vehicles that are road worthy are used on the roads to reduce accidents. The birth of the VIO Mayors is out of necessity due to the shortage of manpower in the directorate of Vehicle Inspection Service, poor enumeration as well as lack of modern gadgets for these officers.

As responsible citizens from diverse backgrounds, we bring our wealth of experience, resource and time to give support to Vehicle Inspection Officers to do their work effectively and efficiently. Since coming on board as the National Coordinator, I have developed a strategic document to effect change in the structure and operations of the VIO across the country through advocacy.

Your Excellency, it is worthy of note that the Sustainable Development Goals, SDGs, the document that contains the ‘Decade of Actions for Road Safety 2021 – 2030’ sets a target to reduce road traffic deaths and injuries by at least 50% during the period. I believe with strong commitment and diligence, this is achievable, if we set our priorities right as people, government and organizations at all level.

Sir, let me commend for your robust agenda targeted at meeting this goal. The setting up and budgetary provision of the Kaduna Traffic Law Enforcement Authority, KASTLEA is a step in the right direction and deserves commendation. KASTLEA has become a prototype that should be studied especially for its structure, operation and funding for other states in the federation.

Our observation of KASTLEA within your period in office as governor of Kaduna State is satisfactory. Their civic conduct, relationship with road users and operation is deserving of emulation by your bother governors. Your Excellency, with these steps backed up with more political will, we shall be beat this UN’s target of 50%.

Your road infrastructural development is second to none; the prudent management of scare resources to the benefit for the people of Kaduna State to ensure their safety on the road attracted our attention thus, our conclusion to visit you and understudy the KASTLEA. This visit will provide us with more information to add up to our already developed action plan and structure for the VIO.

We are hopeful that other state governments in the country will buy into our action plan and structure to bring safety on roads.

Your Excellency, at this point, it is important to state that licensing of vehicles and people in charge it, is not about generating revenue for government but as part of the responsibilities of the VIS, it is testing for qualified, proficient and mentality stable persons to use a good vehicle on the roads by professionals. We cannot built good roads in our cities, and allow poor road users to cause more death. The beautiful roads built should not become a death trap for the people; because the road users is using an unworthy vehicle. Yes, it is an avenue to generate revenue.

We should not defeat the core mandate of Vehicle Inspection Officers for mere gains, but create enabling environment as professionals to carry out this sacred duty of saving lives and property on our roads. This is part of our advocacy to all state governments. Our action plan and structure is a well detailed document.

Yusuf Suberu, VIO Mayors National Coordinator Says Vehicle Licensing is Not for Revenue Generation

Your Excellency, we must thank you again for enormous support for Vehicle Inspection Officers and like Oliver Twist, still ask for more. We cannot commission good roads and now witness death on daily basis.

Thank you for your attention

DR. YUSUF JOHN SUBERU,

National Coordinator,

VIO Mayors

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