The Vehicle Inspection Office (VIO) said its officials will commence a massive clampdown on rickety, dysfunctional, and non-roadworthy vehicles, especially trucks plying roads within Enugu State.
The Chief Vehicle Inspection Officer in Enugu State, Mr Val Chime, disclosed this while speaking to newsmen in Enugu on Wednesday.
It would be recalled that there had been a recent increase in road crashes on the Enugu-Port Harcourt Expressway, which is currently undergoing reconstruction due to dysfunctional and rickety trucks. Chime said that the VIO had restrategised to see that vehicles, especially trucks, not fit to be on the road are stopped.
“We are doing this in active collaboration of other sister road traffic and safety agencies within the state to ensure that this particular operation is robust and total,” he said.
He urged motorists to take advantage of the Automated Vehicle Testing Centre, Emene, newly installed by Gov. Peter Mbah, to do periodic checks on their vehicles and detect faults and dysfunctions in their vehicles.
Chime said that, just as humans need periodic medical check-ups for sound health, so do vehicles need periodic automated inspection for optimal performance. The VIO boss said that it was mandatory for commercial vehicles to undergo periodic automated vehicle inspections every six months, while private vehicles were required to do so at least once a year.
According to him, the newly automated vehicle inspection facility provides excellent and time-saving automated vehicle inspections in just a few minutes. He said, “Once you have got your vehicle’s roadworthiness certificate, you are at liberty to use the facility free of charge and ask the professionals at the facility questions about your vehicle and other driving/road user issues.
“The facility is strategically installed to close the knowledge gap of regular mechanics in detecting hidden vehicle faults, which human eyes and physical touch cannot detect, but are made known via the computerised system.”
Chime also lauded Gov. Mbah for supporting the state’s Transport Ministry in providing lots of transport options, modernising transport facilities and systems for the well-being and comfort of the residents.
According to him, we have five brand new transport terminals, over 80 vehicle shades, 100 CNG buses currently running, and Enugu Air, which destinations have spread to Lagos, Abuja, Port Harcourt, Owerri, and other locations.
“The patronage of these transport facilities continues to soar daily, as they provide needed comfort and pocket-friendly prices to the residents and visitors to the state.
“For the new transport system, we have the “Iji Card”, which is like your ATM card, which you load and make use of, without the need for physical cash, and when lost or stolen, you can retrieve it.
“We are anticipating the intra-state and inter-state mono-rail system coming on stream soon as well as the ferry service within the riverine areas of Nsukka axis of the state,” he added.
