State government has announced new vehicle registration rates regime.The new regime ostensibly is being implemented to address the problems allegedly posed by improperly registered vehicles in Lagos metropolis. However, the new and outrageous rates for registration\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 that would become applicable to different categories of vehicles in the state underscore the real strategic objective of introducing the new registration regime: revenue generation.\u00a0 Under the new regime, registration of number plates of cars will cost N32, 200, Sport Utility Vehicle (SUVs) and buses N35, 950 while registration of articulated vehicles will cost between N40, 950 and N46, 575!<\/p>\n
THESE rates are clearly way off what the masses can afford. In present day Nigeria, it will be uncharitable for any one, least of all, a government to assume that owning any type of vehicle is a luxury that should be taxed. And it is rather surprising that even buses and articulated vehicles that are used for mass transit and mass movement of goods respectively are not spared the meteoric rise in the registration fees.\u00a0 If there must be an increase in number plates registration fees, should the increase be retrospective?\u00a0\u00a0 Why should vehicle owners who obtained their number plates months or even years back be made to replace them at astronomical rates?\u00a0 If indeed the reason for introducing the new number plates is to correct the lapses observed in the ones issued earlier, then it should be at no cost at all to those who already have genuine number plates.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
State government has announced new vehicle registration rates regime.The new regime ostensibly is being implemented to address the problems allegedly posed by improperly registered vehicles in Lagos metropolis. However, the new and outrageous rates for registration\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 that would become applicable<\/p>\n