Alhaji Wadata Dogo Bodinga is the director, Directorate of Road Transport Services (DRTS) otherwise known as the Vehicle Inspection Officers (VIO) in the Federal Capital Territory (FCT). In this interview with PAUL OKAH, he sheds more light on the activities of the agency, fight against the operations of commercial motorcycle, okada, and tricycle, keke, in the FCT, and proposed return of park and pay policy in the FCT, among other issues.
You have been director, DRTS for two years now. What has the experience been?
The experience has been normal. We have recorded some progress and challenges. In terms of progress, we have fared very well in trying to change the face of DRTS, especially with how we relate to the general motoring public; that’s the people who come for our services.
We are a service organisation so we try as much as possible to make sure that our services are in line with Mr President’s agenda for ease of doing business. We try as much as possible to make sure that we deliver not only quality service, but as at when due.
You can notice that the behaviour of our operational officers out there has equally changed. We have done quite a lot of innovative things to take our services to the people, unlike what it used to be when we needed to wait for the people to come and get the services from us.
We have tried to diversify the services to other area commands. Most of the things we are doing here at the headquarters, we decentralised it so that such services like vehicle registration and licensing are done at our respective area offices.
What is your take on the allegation that VIO officers extort money from motorists?
I will take it as your opinion because a lot of motorists have equally praised us, especially with the recent innovations or turnaround of our bringing the services to them; instead of their coming to us.
In one hundred cases that we have, we have never heard of any case where any officer demanded money. Most of these cases they call extortion are in areas where you tell someone to go and make payment, because of a particular offence. I don’t know whether that can be categorised as extortion. For me, it is not extortion in any way. But that cannot be said that there are no isolated cases.
If there is any such case, we are urging the general public to look forth to us. We are very strict when it comes to that kind of issue that has to do with anybody requesting, soliciting, or seeking by any means money. We take it very serious. Like I told you, most of the cases we are having are related to work and not actually issues of extortion.
Is there plan to totally ban okada in the FCT?
Since 2004, the policy of the FCT on the ban on okada has always been from the Federal Capital City (FCC). However, with the recent developments, I think there is need for us to probably look again, we need to look at the policy and also look at what other states have been doing.
Some states have completely banned the use of Okada, instead of allowing it to operate, say, within the outskirts. Somehow, I believe the FCT Administration is being a little bit lenient, because as you know government means well. So, I think that the FCT Administration is looking at other areas where development did not reach. This is why the ban is only in the FCC.
However, every ban is subject to review, so I think the authority will give it a second look, at least in a way that will make it more active.
Do you get help from the Joint Task Force in achieving your mandate?
Generally speaking, we work with the Joint Task Force, because the issue of keke and okada is still farther away from traffic issues.
There is a semblance of security issues in it, particularly the fact that some of these riders carry dangerous weapons when they are operating. There are also reported cases of ‘one chance’, bag snatching, and some other criminal activities associated with their operations. As you know, our officers are not in any way armed, so we require the security agencies to give us backing during these operations.
Also, the operation of arresting keke and okada is not like arresting a vehicle, whereby you can simply flag down the driver to pull over and start a normal chat. These are people that, on sighting security or law enforcement agencies, they are ready to do anything. Some of them are ready to go against traffic by going one way and all sorts of dangerous things, so arresting them has never been so easy. We have to apply a lot of caution to make sure that the operations go accident-free. The okada and keke operators don’t care but you know what happens if someone has an accident on his own while trying to run away. People will still blame it on the VIO. That’s where we are appealing to the general public to help security agencies in enforcing the ban on okada and for them to know we are working for them.
It may be a simple caution, especially if you see an okada crossing the city. You can ask him why he is crossing the area when he knows that okada is not allowed there. That simple question will go a long way in sensitising him. So, we are appealing to the general public to buy into these policies, so that we will have a better and safe FCT; in terms of transportation and traffic management.
Despite public outcry against Park and Pay policy in the FCT, why does the administration want it to return?
Many of us have travelled outside the country and we have seen how things are done. There is no country or city that can develop without having a controlled transportation system.
In every city you enter, the first impression you will get is how the transportation system, of that city is. If you find a city with a good transportation system then I can assure you that definitely the city is sound, prosperous, serene, secured and has everything necessary for living a better life in the society. If you look at it, Park and Pay policy, with all its challenges, is still very necessary. However, I believe that in every policy there is still a need to look again at what went wrong.
It is not about the parking itself, but the way it was constituted in the first place. Therefore, I think we shouldn’t rush to throw the baby with the bath water. We should look at the benefits of the policy, not only to the FCT, in terms of revenue generation, but equally to the general public; in terms of reaching their destination easily. It means that a lot of man-hour is usually wasted, because the congestion of this illegal parking would have been avoided.
So, I think the parking policy is a good one. It is just for us to go back and look at all those grey areas that made it a bit cumbersome or difficult or some areas that there are lapses that made people to take advantage of the situation and probably put unnecessary pressure on people.
We should look at those areas, correct them and bring back the policy in a more friendly and acceptable manner. I think no city can do without parking policy and regulation.
What are these grey areas that led to the suspension?
The operation of Park and Pay in the past is one issue any sane person will describe as a wind that did not blow anyone any good. Even the management staff of the Administration was not spared in their style of operation; which left so much to be desired.
While the administration in FCT was looking into ways of amending the MOU, then came the court ruling which directed that the defendants lacked the powers to carry out such enforcement. The matter with suit No. FCT/HC/CV/2104/13, which was under Hon. Justice A.S. Uma, had one Johnbull Uagbor Adaghe as the plaintiff, while Platinum Parking Management Services Ltd, the Hon. Minister, FCT and the FCTA were the defendants.
For the hindsight, the judgment of the court was that the defender lacked the powers to enforce Park and Pay in FCT.
It has to be noted that the exercise was based on ministerial order, which the judge did not consider to be strong enough.
What is the difference between the provision of the Bill and the operation of the policy before its ban?
Yes, the proposed Park and Pay in the bill is to be manned by a government agency, Directorate of Road Transport Services (DRTS), which must definitely stick to the provisions of the law and not a third party business man, who is to put profit making first; thereby unnecessarily milking the people.
This is the more reason the bill should be commended and not condemned by the very few, who do not really understand the real intent of the Administration.
It is important to note that the inclusion of the Park and Pay policy in the new Bill is captured in the special penalties for traffic infractions, which is quite different from the vision the operators in 2013 had.
When the bill is signed into law, it is going to serve as antidote to most of the traffic nuisances bewildering the territory. For the Administration to embark on the process of bringing up a proper law to that effect is to tell you that it is, at the moment, sensitive, and intends to address an issue that negatively affected residents.
It is also important to note that the population of Abuja has been growing astronomically; due to the security situation in different parts of the country; as many feel Abuja is the only place they can live and sleep with their two eyes closed and this brings a lot of pressure on the roads which, if not checked, is bound to create chaos on every Abuja road.
There is no responsible government that will like to inflict pains on its citizens. Road congestion, with its attendant suffering, is one of the pains governments will not like its population to go through. This was one of the major reasons Lagos ceased to be the capital of Nigeria and anybody who cast aspersions on Park and Pay policy is like telling Nigerians to begin to plan for another capital in no distant time.
Can you point out other features of the Bill?
Part of the features of the Bill include: regulating road traffic management and motor vehicle administration within the FCT; regulating registration, revocation, licencing and renewal of motor or vehicle documents; and issuance of vehicle identification number plates within the FCT.
As well as conducting road worthiness test; issuing of road worthiness certificates to all categories of vehicles and write off non roadworthy vehicles within the FCT; conducting training and testing of drivers to ensure competence for issuance driver’s licence in FCT; establishing a computer-based central vehicle registry database for the purpose of administration enforcement and regulation of road transport system in the FCT.
It will also undertake the inspection and investigation of road traffic accident in the FCT, in collaboration with related agencies, production and administration of driver’s licence, production and administration of vehicle identification number plate, maintaining a database of motor parks in FCT, conducting research in the area of road traffic management and motor vehicle administration, enforcing road traffic acts, FCT road transport regulations 2005 (and as may be amended) and parking policy of the FCT, enforcing other acts of the federation such as on control of vehicular movement, regulating and enforcing the use of bus stops and bus terminals and the activities of commercial motor vehicle in the FCT, registration and accreditation of driving schools in the FCT, regulating and issuance of operators’ license in the FCT, regulating and issuance of motor vehicle related trade licence in the FCT.
Also, the policy will undertake enforcing peak hour movement restriction of articulated vehicle and heavy duty trucks on FCT urban road and highways, enforcing the ban on use of motorcycles as means of public transport in the FCT, enforcing route restriction for mini buses and tricycles in the FCT, inspecting motor vehicle that is involved in road crashes, regulate the use, provision of road furniture, ensuring compliance with the use of traffic control devices in FCT, preparing area parking plans dealing management of on-street and multi level parking, parking for different disable persons, overnight parking of commercial vehicles, parking in airports and public transit stations, parking in residential streets and lanes charging facility for electric vehicles and plan for utilization of the parking revenue for local area development, working with FCT IRS and monitoring committee that will review parking fees and look after overall enforcement of parking rules, preparing code of conduct for parking contractors, regulate, enforce and control on-street and off-street parking in FCT, collect, collate, process and disseminate traffic information as may be required for traffic management purpose.
Therefore, we need to know from the above that the Bill is in the best interest of Abuja residents, as you may not know the plans of every vehicle owner; who decides to park as he or she wishes. We have to maintain security consciousness for Abuja to remain the centre of unity it is meant to be.
What challenges have you faced as director?
Of course, we cannot say that there are no challenges, but one of the basic challenges we are having at DRTS is with the acceptance by the general public, particularly some of the vital policies of the FCT. A case in point is the issue of keke, okada and co.
At the moment, through the electronic and print media, there is nobody that is operating keke or okada that does not know it is prohibited in the city centre. The message has been passed and it is known, but, unfortunately for us, you can see that they have continued to operate with total disregard of the law or warnings.
We need the assistance of the general public. We have been arresting on our own, but the fact is that we cannot be everywhere at the same time. People find a way to go to some areas they know our officers are not stationed.
You can agree with me that commuters and the general public can be helpful in this regard, so we are appealing to commuters to desist from or boycott the use of this kind of transportation. We believe this will be the ultimate solution to this challenge of okada and keke operations, because if people refuse to patronize them, they will gradually fizzle out or go out of business.
This is the next kind of publicity we want to put out there to the motoring people of the FCT, so that they can cooperate and adhere strictly to this policy. The motoring public will understand the benefit of this policy particular in relation to security and lives while using this mode of transportation. You will agree with me that protecting them is worthwhile.
