'We have not banned VIO from our roads' - Lagos state govt says

The Lagos State government says contrary to media reports, it has not completely banned officials of the state Vehicle Inspection Service, VIS, from performing their duties on Lagos roads. Two days ago, the media was awash with reports that the state governor, Akinwunmi Ambode, had banned VIO operations in the state following multiple complains from its residents.

Refuting the report, the state Commissioner for Transportation, Prince Olanrewaju Elegushi, and the Commissioner for Information and Strategy, Steve Ayorinde, told newsmen that all the VIS officials only went for a training.

“Nobody is banning VIOs from the roads. There is no directive to that effect from the governor of Lagos State. Right now, the VIS officials in the state are undergoing training on how they will improve their services on Lagos roads. It‘s a month-long event for the officials where they will undergo intensive training so that they will be able to deliver quality and better service across the state. We all believe that VIOs need to perform their functions in a more civilised way and be technologically driven. There is an ongoing reform as to how the VIS carries out its operations, which might require that the inspection officers are off the streets at this point. “The government is keen to have their operations more streamlined and technologically-driven to serve the people of Lagos better”he said