By Pwanagba Agabus, Jos
The Commissioner for Transport, Davou Jatau, has explained the rationale behind the deployment of Vehicle Inspection Officers, VIO, and the recent suspension of their activities in Plateau State.
Speaking during a media interaction with journalists in Jos, the State capital, Jatau said the presence of officers on the roads is to guarantee safety.
“Reason why we have the Vehicle Inspection Officers on the streets to inspect roadworthiness and other aspects of the vehicles that guarantees safety on our roads,” she said.
The Commissioner said his ministry is determined to prevent road accidents.
“We I am struggling with the responsibility of transportation on the plateau that we don’t want to have a situation where we have accidents reoccurring on our streets, on our routes, but we want to have a situation of safe routes and efficient transport services across the state,” he stated.
He acknowledged mixed public reactions to the activities of the officers.
“And so you’ve heard VIOS on the streets, on the roads, are costing even you that are here having good and bad experiences,” Jatau said.
“We are not here to just talk about the bad experiences, but I’m sure some of you would want to share with us the good experiences you’ve had with vehicle inspection office, a time pass,” he added.
“What they have done well, we want to hear from you. What they have not done well, we want to have from you ways you feel we can improve, so that the altercation we’ve been having on the roads will be a thing of the past,” he said.
Jatau stressed that the officers are backed by law.
“They are humans, they are officers of the law, gazetted by the law to work on the roads,” he said.
He decried recent attacks on officers on duty.
“Just last week, in less than a week, we have two incidences: one at the Constitution Hill, one at Ahmadu Bello Way, where you have people physically assaulting officers, performing their legitimate duties, and of course, as watchdogs of the community, I am sure you have more information about things that have happened better than we do,” the Commissioner said.
“Probably, there are these things that we do not know,” he added.
