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

Gboyega Akinsanmi Lagos State Governor, Mr. Babatunde Fashola, yesterday 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.”