By Adekola Afolabi

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Ondo State government has begun a total clamp down on unregistered taxi drivers for failure to comply with the registration directive.
To this end, scores of drivers have been arrested by the state task force for flouting government directives.
The Senior Special Assistant to Governor Oluwarotimi Akeredolu on Special Duties and Strategy, Dr. Doyin Odebowale who led the enforcement team in Akure, the Ondo State capital explained that the registration was to ensure safety of taxi drivers, passengers and security of lives and properties of residents in general.
While emphasizing that over five hundred taxi drivers have procured their valid driver license, Odebowale noted that the enforcement became necessary after the expiration of the ultimatum given to the taxi drivers in the state to register their vehicles.
He revealed that after extension of the deadline for additional two weeks, many taxi drivers were yet to comply with the directive which prompted the state task force to swing into action on major streets of Akure to enforce the government directive.
Some of the taxi drivers that were arrested, pleaded for more time to fast track their registration.
“We are pleading with Mr. Governor to please extend the directive by 2 weeks to a month to enable us complete the registration”, they said.
But Dr. Odebowale said since the directive had been given to the taxi drivers long ago they should all have complied saying the enforcement exercise was long overdue.
“If you go to town now, you will see that over five hundred persons have complied. This is the fourth month; when do they expect the enforcement process to start? We gave them three months but was extended by two month, and presently we are at the end of the fourth month.
“We are asking to please let us know you. Where is it done that you pick people on the road and you won’t be known”, the Governor’s aide aked.
He said the move was to curb all the atrocities happening in the society and guarantee people’s safety.
“If you must drive commercial vehicle or any vehicle in Ondo State you must have a valid driver’s licence, is it too much to ask.”
“We have given them enough time, any vehicle that is seized we will ensure full compliance before it is released and the owner of the vehicle must have prove of ownership”, he stressed.
Dr. Odebowale, however, said the final number of the registration would be given to the taxi drivers by Ministry of Transport in conjunction with State Information Technology Agency, SITA, which will also be used by the security agencies for their work as well.
As the registration of taxi drivers continues, the state government insists that safety of its citizens is its priority.