BY MAYOWA SAMUEL
The Federal Government has introduced a fee of N1, 000 to be paid by all motorists annually for Proof of Ownership Certificate verification.
Lagos State is kick-starting the collection of the fee for POC from motorists beginning from July 2023.
At a joint news conference in Ikeja, Lagos on Tuesday, the Permanent Secretary, Lagos Ministry of Transportation, Abdulhafiz Toriola, disclosed that the state government had begun the implementation of the new initiative.
The new initiative is aimed at streamlining and enhancing the process of vehicle ownership verification which is the annual Proof of Ownership Certificate, in line with compliance with legal requirements fundamental to transparency, security and accountability within the transportation network.
He said the initiative was in accordance with the National Road Traffic Regulation 2012 as amended, No. 101, Vol. 99; Section 73- (1) which states that ‘There shall be Proof of Ownership Certificate for all registered Vehicles’.
Section 73- (1-6) also added that “The commission shall establish and maintain a Central Database for Vehicles and drivers for the federation.
“To this end, the Federal Government has introduced the issuance of an annual Proof of Ownership Certificate for all registered vehicles.
“This certificate will serve as official documentation of a vehicle’s legal owners upon successful completion of the necessary requirements and procedures.
“The POC will contain vital information including the vehicle’s registration details, such as, license number plate, model, year of manufacture in addition to owner’s name and address.
“Having critically reviewed the challenges encountered in ensuring promotion of Safety and Security of lives and property through the issuance of POC nationally and especially in our Dear State, the Joint Tax Board in its communiqué issued at the end of the emergency meeting held on 9th May, 2023 adopted and made a resolution that proof of ownership certificate (PoC) be issued to motorists on an annual basis nationwide,” he said.
The Permanent Secretary said that the decision, among other things, was aimed at tracking the real time status and guarantees the integrity of all vehicles registered on the National Vehicle and Identification Scheme (NVIS) database.
He stated that for effective security administration, the annual POC was specially printed and connected with other vehicle documents in the state.
Toriola explained that through the POC, statistics of vehicular population nationwide could easily be obtained, while it would bring solution to minimization of car theft and recovery of stolen vehicles, as well as streamline the fulfillment of the uniform licensing scheme mandate.
Other benefits, he said, included that the state’s motor vehicle documents could easily be verified regardless of the issuing state; safety and security of vehicles and their owners, enhancement of the National Vehicle database for national security and for planning and economic development.
“We believe that the POC will help track the real time status and guarantee the integrity of all vehicles registered on the National Vehicle and Identification Scheme (NVIS) database and it is based on the safety and security it guaranteed that the Governor of Lagos State, Mr. Babajide Olusola Sanwo-Olu has approved for its commencement in Lagos State, hence this briefing to enlighten the public,” he said.
