Nasir el-Rufai’s Ban of VIO Will Cause More Crashes, Injuries In Kaduna – Group

By DAVID ADUGE-ANI
Following a recent ban of the operation of Vehicle Inspection Officers (VIO), in Kaduna State, an Abuja-based non-governmental organisation, Accident Prevention and Rescue Initiative has observed that such a ban might increase the rate of road crashes, injuries and deaths in the state. In an interview with LEADERSHIP Weekend in Abuja, the executive director of the organization, Prince Fidelis Nnadi noted that the operation of VIOs is very critical in the road safety project, which according to him, is among provisions of the Road Traffic Act which is still enforced nationwide by the police, FRSC and VIOs at Federal and State level. “It is unfortunate that most state governments, including Kaduna State government, have continued to abandon their responsibility to equip their respective state VIOs despite the relevance of their operation to safety of vehicle occupants and road users.

“How can the governor ban and institution of government on grounds of corruption? Has the governor considered improving the state VIO by adequate welfare for officers, road worthy operational vehicles, human capacity building through training and re-training and above all, acknowledging the VIOs as a strategic safety and revenue generation agency?.” he said. He maintained that banning an agency that is relevant to safety of lives and property is unnecessary and urged Governor el-Rufai to unban the agency and inject funds towards revamping the agency that have existed for years without adequate provision of equipment and resources to carry out their functions. He continued: “For the interest of road user’s safety and road worthy vehicles on our roads, Mallam El-Rufai should bring back the VIOs but ensure they are adequately provided for. While we are not in support of corruption which is the reason for banning the agency, the governor should have dismissed officers involved in corruption while the agency continue to carry out its constitutional functions.”