Lagos begins joint enforcement of badges for Danfo operators

By Olasunkanmi Akoni LAGOS — The Lagos State Government has announced plans to commence joint enforcement of compulsory identification badges and other regulatory requirements for commercial bus operators, popularly known as Danfo drivers and conductors, to strengthen commuter safety and accountability. The enforcement drive, being coordinated by the State Ministry of Transportation through its Directorate of Public Transport and Commuter Services (PTCS), will involve the Vehicle Inspection Service (VIS) and the Lagos State Traffic Management Authority (LASTMA).

The Director of Public Transport and Commuter Services, Mr Nuhman Edu, said the initiative was designed to improve commuter security, ensure accountability among transport operators and strengthen compliance with established transport regulations. He identified some of the major compliance gaps the exercise would address to include improper commuter vehicle registration, absence of vehicle body tags, stage carriage permits, drivers’ badges and conductors’ badges.

Edu explained that the collaboration with VIS and LASTMA would strengthen the verification of relevant safety documents during routine enforcement operations. “Where a vehicle is found to be non-compliant, enforcement or compliance procedures will be initiated strictly in accordance with extant laws, regulations, approved guidelines and established operational procedures,” he said.

He said proper identification of commercial vehicles, drivers and conductors would make operators traceable, improve accountability, assist investigations involving vehicles allegedly used in criminal activities and facilitate the prompt resolution of commuter complaints. According to him, the framework will clearly define the responsibilities of the participating agencies across six areas.

These include verification of prescribed PTCS documents, recording of vehicle compliance status, identification of violations, initiation of enforcement or corrective measures, information exchange and data-sharing, as well as referral of cases requiring further administrative or regulatory action. Edu said commuter safety and security remained the primary reasons for strengthening regulation of public transportation in the state.

He added that the ministry would engage transport unions and associations through stakeholder meetings, media campaigns and sensitisation programmes to ensure operators understood the requirements. The director further disclosed that the ministry had resolved to introduce continuous monitoring, evaluation and assessment of compliance levels across the state, supported by reporting and feedback mechanisms to ensure timely identification and resolution of regulatory gaps.