NITT, MILLENNIUM ICT EXPLORE WAYS TO CENTRALISE DRIVER CERTIFICATION IN NIGERIA

The Nigerian Institute of Transport Technology (NITT), Zaria, and Millennium ICT Services Limited are exploring possible ways of centralising driver certification in the country. This followed a proposal by the latter to establish Drivers and Riders National Examination (DARNEX).

In his presentation, the spokesman of Millennium ICT Services Limited, Mr. Teddy Osu, asserted that “poor or no training” was the major cause of road traffic accidents, adding that an “untrained” driver is not only “confused”, but also “dangerous”. He summarised the challenges of driving schools in Nigeria as “lack of modern facilities and lack of government standard rules”. Mr. Osu frowned at the scenario whereby prospective drivers just want to get the driver certificate without first going through proper training hence the need for DARNEX.

The highlights of Millennium ICT Services Limited’s proposal were:
To partner NITT and FMOT via PPP arrangement;
To build drivers and riders academy in 36 states of the federation and FCT; and
To build, operate and transfer the project.

Responding, the Director-General and Chief Executive of Nigerian Institute of Transport Technology (NITT), Zaria, Dr. Bayero Salih Farrah, observed that NITT being a transport and logistics training and research Institute has been in the vanguard of the safe and efficient transport system in Nigeria. Dr. Farrah noted that NITT recognised the human factor in road traffic accidents, and had taken critical steps to ameliorate the situation. He pointed out the driver training centres the Institute had established across the country as one of such measures taken to remedy the situation.

The DG reminded Millennium ICT that “driving, driver training and certification are in the concurrent list of the constitution” and would require a holistic approach culminating in “a legislation of the National Assembly” to make the proposal come to fruition. He, however, assured Millennium ICT Services Limited that in spite of the inherent challenges, NITT would “keep the channel of communication open” vis-à-vis charting a new course that would take into cognizance the concerns and interests of all stakeholders.