Government to clamp down on unregistered e-Commerce transporters

The Lagos State Government has warned e-commerce transporters who are not registered and licensed to work in Nigeria and do not pay tax to the government to have a rethink soonest or face the wrath of the relevant laws should they fail to cooperate with the state government in this regard.

This was the resolution of a Stakeholders’ meeting held on its proposed Transport Policy at the Adeyemi Bero Auditorium, Alausa, Ikeja at the weekend.

Addressing the Stakeholders, the Commissioner for Transportation, Mr. Ladi Lawanson, said the state is bearing the weight of its 23 million population with 93 per cent of them as active road users who make an average of 40 million trips daily.

He added that the transport policy was designed to address the challenges plaguing the transport sector of the state, which is occasioned by the rapid population growth of migrants from other parts of the country, and ensure the development of the transport sector in light of the realities of the global/national economy and state fiscal situation.

According to him, transportation plays a significant role in shaping and growing economies and in this case the Lagos economy and hoped that the deliberations at the event will lead to decisions that will set the state on a better course in that regard

Professor Samuel Odewunmi, Dean, School of Transport at the Lagos State University in his paper at the event said the degree of investment in the sector will be determined by efficacy of the policy and proposed the establishment of the Transport Advisory Committee which will bring together relevant Ministries to the management of transport sector to create a comprehensive structure.

While noting that the Ministry of Transportation has to be re organized for this responsibility to install the needed framework to create and manage a dynamic transport system to meet the present and future needs of the state, Professor Odewunmi said the Committee will harmonize their transporters’ operations for seamless and well-coordinated results as well as ensure continuous human capacity development while updating materials needed during this process to ensure professionalism, synergy in implementation and periodic review of the policy.

At the forum were other Speakers who also spoke on other modes of transportation and enumerated the technicalities associated with improving each mode of transportation including policy strategies required to achieve the goal of Lagos State government in transportation.

In his remark, the Permanent Secretary, Dr. Taiwo Olufemi Salaam, appreciated participants’ for their support and contributions towards the formulation of a robust transport policy and assured them of the Ministry’s commitment towards improving the transport sector of the state.

He also stated that the Ministry is currently negotiating with Industrial Bank for the Transport Trust Fund to help transporters meet set standards.