FCT Computerised Inspection: Apathy Based On Past Government Ineptitude

TO curb road mishaps on Abuja roads, which are said to be the highest in the country, and ensure up-to-date vehicle data system in the territory, the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) administrator, introduced the computerised vehicle scheme last year.

   The exercise, which is carried out by the FCT VIO from 8a.m. to 6p.m daily in different centres across Abuja, according to the Director of the FCT Directorate of Road Transport Services (DRTS), Danjuma Aliyu Garba, in a press briefing, aims at upgrading the hitherto manual and less reliable method to the world best standard. 

  Said he: “vehicle inspection is carried out to ascertain the mechanical, physical or otherwise fitness of any vehicle. This is done in the FCT to ensure safety of lives and property on the roads and highways.

 “Some of these tests are either carried out on the highway during routine checks or fully in the station yard before vehicle registration and renewal of vehicle particulars are done.” 

  On what are to be inspected in the vehicles, Garba, said, “brakes, wheel alignment, steering, general body, tyre, shock absorber and emission will be inspected. And if any private vehicle passes the test, it would be given 12 months roadworthiness, while six months would be given to commercial vehicles. But if any vehicle fails it, the individual will rebook for an appointment for a re-test within 30 days and if the person fails to show up within the said period, he or she would be asked to make another payment,” he said.

   After the announcement of the scheme, Abuja residents considered it another rhetoric, especially as government’s past efforts at checkmating the frequent road accidents yielded no fruits. But with the recent arrest of 19 company vehicles, motorists and companies are beginning to take the scheme serious.

   Some of the motorists arrested said they were not aware of the regulation, while others said they got the manual certification from VIO officers.

      One of the motorists affected said, “I personally thought the issue of computerised motor vehicle inspection was the usual rhetoric by policy makers. We have been deceived in the past by government and its agencies and it is not as if they have stopped deceiving us anyway. 

        “VIO had in the past sold a dummy called encoder to us for a fee, I think it was N5, 000 then. That was years back and surely the value of that fee now would be over N10, 000. They lied to us then that when the encoder, which was somewhat like a tape, is placed on our cars, it would give the VIO all the information needed of our cars with the help of other gadgets they claimed are inside their own vehicles. So, the lie then was that at a distance, they would be able to have all our data as we drive closer to them.  

    “We were all made to pay then, and were given the coloured material to paste on our vehicles, but it was a gimmick, as nothing came out of it. It would be good if the current VIO boss can make this work.

         “No matter how we want to look at it, success in office is based on policies that the head of an organisation is able to implement to the benefit of the people. So, if this Computerised Vehicle Inspection (CVI) works, it would become a reference point in Nigeria. We are referring to the encoder today and the people who collected the money then. The question is where is that huge amount made then from the sales of encoder and who are the people that shared it?

        “I have not done the computerised check not because I did not hear about it, the advert was on the radio, but I just dismissed it that government is at it again as usual. But I think I will go and do it now, after all, it does not cost much.” 

         In the face of this indifference, which is quite common among the people, Garba is appealing to motorists to go for the check, saying the enforcement is not to punish anyone arrested, but to take the vehicles to any of the computerised vehicle inspection centres.

        Warning motorists against manual checks, the Director, FCT-VIO, said: “the initiative is an ongoing programme. It is not to punish the motorists, but to ensure their safety in a better way. Also, members of the public should stop going for manual road-worthiness certificate. Rather, they should go to any of the centres in Kugbo or Katampe for certification.” 

  According to Garba, each of the two centres has the capacity to inspect 500 vehicles daily.