Appeal Court Judgement Barring Private Vehicles From Obtaining Roadworthiness Not Binding On FCT – DRTS
The FCT Directorate of Road Traffic Services, DRTS, says the appeal court judgment delivered in Delta, which exempted private vehicles from obtaining a roadworthiness certificate, will not be binding in the territory.
Kalu Emetu, Head of Public Relations and Enlightenment of DRTS, made the position of the service known in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria on Tuesday in Abuja.
Mr Emetu said the March 21 Appeal Court judgment, delivered in Asaba, would not affect other states because each has different traffic rules.
”Therefore, the way it is done in Delta is not the way it is done in the FCT and other states.
”The basis on which the judgment was passed in Delta differs from that in other states, so you will not say that because a judgment was passed in Delta, you generalise it.
”Traffic matters are state matters; the way it affects the people of Delta certainly will not be the same way it affects the people of Lagos State and others,” he said.
Mr Emetu added that such a judgement was only binding in the originating state and would not apply across the country.
”That law is only tenable in Delta and not in all states of the federation. It simply a traffic matter and as such, it cannot be generalised, it can only work in the state the judgment was passed.ad bodies in Ed
”For instance, Delta has a vehicle inspection office, while in the FCT, we have DRTS. Therefore, the job differs, including in other states across the country.
”So, the judgment is based on what the VIO in Delta is doing over there,” he said.
He said though traffic laws fall under CAP548 of the Laws of the Federation, every state has a way of implementing its traffic laws.
”Based on the same CAP, they make their regulations differently, and the regulations guide their operations depending on the job functions that have been given to them.
”Remember, the respective states plan their job functions, which affects the way they work. In the same way, any judgment that is coming must go through the regulations of the respective state before its passage.
”If the roadworthiness certificate is not supposed to be renewed and the FCT administration chooses that motorists have to renew it based on specific regulations they have put in place, so be it,” he added.
NAN
