CITIZENS COMPASS – In line with the communique issued by the Federal Government Joint Tax Board, after an emergency meeting held on May 9, 2023, the Lagos State Government has announced the commencement of annual renewal of Proof of Ownership Certificate for vehicles registered within the State.
The Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Transportation Engr. Abdulhafiz Toriola made this known on Tuesday at a press briefing held at Alausa, to sensitize the public on the initiative, saying the procedure is aimed at ensuring real-time tracking and maintaining the integrity of vehicle records on the National Vehicle and Identification Scheme (NVIS) database.
Toriola said the renewal process is part of the government’s commitment to keeping accurate and up-to-date records of vehicle ownership, which is crucial for effective traffic management, law enforcement, and public safety, reiterating that the renewal process will ensure national integration of data.
He added that the Proof of Ownership Certificate serves as valid proof that a vehicle is legally owned by the registered individual or entity and will contain vital information such as license plate number, model, year of manufacture, in addition to owner’s name and address. He said the document will be issued at the point of renewing vehicle particulars at a minimal fee of One Thousand Naira Only (₦1000).
Speaking further, the Permanent Secretary said the procedure will aid in the minimization of car theft and recovery of stolen vehicles, getting vehicular population nation-wide, verification of vehicles documents regardless of issuing State, enhance national security amongst other benefits.
He stressed that by ensuring accurate records and documentation, Lagos State aims to create a safer and more efficient transportation system, urging all to comply with relevant authorities for seamless implementation of the process.
Also speaking, the Lagos State Sector Commander of the Federal Road Safety Corps (FRSC) Babatunde Farinloye represented by Corp Commander Tajudeen Mafe said the implementation is in line with the FRSC Establishment Act of 2007, to regulate and enforce all road safety management procedure through robust database, expressing willingness of the Agency to ensure smooth execution of the procedure.
The General Manager, Motor Vehicle Administration Agency (MVAA) Mrs. Lape Kilanko, represented by Mrs. Olabisi Olowolagba stated that the initiative aligns with the Agency’s vision of gathering reliable and accurate databases which will aid its operations.
Prince Segun Obayendo, the Group Managing Director of Temple SYC Ltd, stressed the significance of this procedure in addressing the issue of stolen vehicles that are currently untraceable. He emphasized that with this initiative, interstate vehicles can be easily verified and captured in the Lagos State database. He also highlighted the role of data in the success of the Intelligent Transport System.
