The Lagos State Government has launched a new scheme which requires all taxi operators to register their details with government before operating in the state, in line with Regulation 40 of the Road Traffic Law 2012.
This is part of efforts to improve the safety and security of commuters as they go about their business in Lagos.
Speaking while launching the scheme on Thursday, the State Governor, Mr Babatunde Fashola, said that the new Lagos Taxi licence with present street value of N100,000.00 each is being distributed free of charge to taxi drivers.
The taxi licence has several embedded features such as the photograph of the owner, his name, his address including fingerprints which is with the state under the Residence Registration scheme and the Lagos State Public Transportation Management System.
On its database, the state has 12,617 drivers already captured and 10,882 vehicles as the total taxis registered under the new taxi licence scheme.
He gave the assurance that residents of the state would be safe if they enter a licenced taxi in Lagos, and as such they should not patronize unregistered taxis because they would be putting their safety at risk by doing so.
“We feel confident that from today parents and guardians will feel secure to allow their children enter taxis the way it used to happen when I was a teenager.
“We moved around Lagos in taxis and nothing bad happened to us. We must get our children back to use the public transport system.
“Not every parent can buy a car for their child. We must get our children back to using the bus system. That is the way that we would claim our civilization”, he added.
