By: Tolulope Oluwole
The Ondo State Internal Revenue Service (ODIRS) on Wednesday July 27, 2022 commenced enforcement exercise on road taxes and levies on vehicles.
The exercise was carried out in the morning on wednesday, even under the drizzling rain along custom junction, Ondo road and Oda road, Akure.
The ODIRS colloborated with the Vehicle Inspection Officers (VIO), officers of the police force, officers of Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC) and officers of the Federal Road Safety Corps (FRSC) to inspect both the commercial and private vehicles on the road.
According to the State Licensing Officer (SLO) of ODIRS, Mr Samuel Olajide, the law states that all vehicles on the road must have a valid documents, must be registered and the drivers as well must possess a valid driver’s license.
He added that with the situation of the country now, there’s need to embark on such exercise to ensure that the vehicles on the roads are complying with the road tax law.
Olajide advised the road users to comply with the officers and also, the defaulters should go to ODIRS opposite Dome or any of their offices in the 18 local governments in Ondo State to register their vehicles and update their documents.
Mr Adeniyi Adelegan who is the Ondo State Commanding Officer of the Vehicles Inspection Officer (VIO) noted that the exercise has been a yearly routine which is done mostly in the middle of the year or once or twice in a year. He stressed that the exercise is for the people to be alerted to do the needful as far as Internal revenue is concerned.
“Motorists dodge our officers on the road, that is why we are collaborating with other security agencies, so that none of them will be able to dodge or escape again”
“Also, a law has been in place now that old number plate is not allowed in Ondo State again, it has been announced for quite a while now. There are some people with the old number plate that who go an extra mile to do a fake paper, that is why we are removing old number plates, so that the owner of the vehicle will get a new number plate”.
Adelegan implored the motorists to go to ODIRS to do the needful as it shows they are responsible citizen of Ondo State.
Mrs Kikelomo Arifalo, one of the motorists who was checked commended the officers and also described the exercise as a very laudable one.
She added that everyone should be licensed because there are lot of reckless drivers these days.
“This exercise should be a continue process, most people love to have the correct papers but because salaries are not paid on time, food is the most important thing. I’m sure if the government can ensure that salaries are being paid on time, people will be willing to update their documents,” she said.
