As part of its ongoing efforts towards bringing sanity and safety to its transportation sector, Ogun State Government has said it will commence the compilation of biometric data of all commercial motorcycle riders and drivers operating in the state.
State Commissioner for Transportation, Mr. Gbenga Dairo, who disclosed this at separate meetings with the leadership and representatives of Articulated Motorcycle Owners and Riders Association of Nigeria (AMORAN) and Three Wheelers Owners and Riders Association of Nigeria (TWORAN) in Oke-Mosan, Abeokuta, stressed the need for biometric data capturing of all riders and drivers.
He said that doing this would help government in its plans towards repositioning the state’s transport sector.
In a statement by the Ministry’s Press Officers, Wale Olanrewaju and Damilare Olubayode, the transportation commissioner said the exercise, which availed the state government means of having accurate data of riders and drivers, was aimed at capturing the fingerprints of individual rider and driver for easy identification, monitoring of their activities and possible tracking whenever necessary.
Dairo stressed that the exercise would also help to nip in the bud crimes associated with commercial travels in the state.
He, however, said that government frowned on reckless riding, violation of traffic rules and flagrant disregard for traffic lights, warning that such acts would no longer be treated with kid gloves as violators would be made to face the full wrath of the law.
Dairo also charged the Union leaders to cooperate with his ministry in the efforts to develop a roadmap for a better organised and robust transport sector, where safety and general interest of passengers were made supreme above individual and selfish interests, which had left negative impact on the sector.
He reiterated government’s resolve to make transport affordable, accessible, safe and attractive through regulations and policies of international standards, saying that the era of exploitation, harassment, thuggery and other acts capable of making life difficult for passengers was over in the state.
In his remark, the State Chairman of AMORAN, Comrade Nurudeen Alowonle, commended the state government for the creation of the Transportation Ministry, promising that AMORAN and other sister associations would abide by the rules of engagement and also cooperate with the state government towards achieving its set goals in the transport sector.