Fashola Decries Non-use of Number Plates by Governors, Diplomats

Lagos State Governor, Mr. Babatunde Fashola, on Sunday said it was illegal for chief executive officers of some states and members of the diplomatic corps not to use number plate of properly register their vehicles.

The governor, also, said the state government had perfected plans to set aside a specific date, which he said, would give the youths bearing illegal weapons to surrender them to the nearest police station in the state.

He expressed concerns over the illegal use of number plate and proliferation of small arms at a stakeholders’ meeting on law and order he addressed at the State House, Ikeja alongside the Commissioner for the Environment, Mr. Tunji Bello and his transportation counterpart, Mr. Kayode Opeifa, among others.

At the meeting, Fashola urged the state residents “to live within the law than living outside the law. If we understand this, it will bring voluntary compliance. I will like to see people voluntarily register their vehicle for number plate and display their vehicle number in the front of their vehicles and motorcycle.”

Sadly enough, the governor said the people “take this for granted. It becomes important if we understand that you are protecting ourselves by putting on your vehicle registration number. I have seen in some states where the chief executive covers his vehicle registration. But I proudly carry mine.

“Nobody is above the law in any society even if you are a diplomat in a country where you cannot be arrested. You must carry the plate. One is better protected by doing so. If an accident occurs with such vehicles, how will it be possible for anyone to know who the owner of the vehicle was; call his relatives?

“If it is stolen, how will the security officials locate vehicle? In the next few weeks, I hope we will be able to convince people that part of their safety on the lays with registering their vehicle and displaying their number plate.”

On illegal arms, Fashola tasked the youths to move away from drugs and cultism and drop their weapons, noting that the country needed their energy and that the drugs would destroy their minds and health.

He added that they might die sudden death if they continued “to live violent life. This country needs them alive. I think this is a season of great hope and change. I use this opportunity to appeal to them to break up those gangs and form themselves into entrepreneurship cooperatives to societies.”

He, therefore, appealed to the youths “to surrender their weapons and guns voluntarily to the nearest police station. I am not saying this lightly. This is a matter that we have deliberated on extensively. I believe the commissioner of police remain committed to this.

“After I make this announcement, he will work with all the security officials and evolve a process that will aid the smooth handover. We will give a window of opportunity where everyone, who has illegal arms, will voluntarily go and drop his weapon.

The governor assured that there would be no prosecution if any person holding illegal arms did so within that period, noting that there was an urgent need “to clean our city and state of small arms.

After that period, the law will take its stand.”

Source: ThisDay

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