A bill seeking to regulate the activities of Motor Vehicle Mechanics and Spare Parts Dealers in Delta State, has scaled through the second reading at the floor of the State House of Assembly.
The draft Bill entitled: “Delta State Registration of Motor Vehicle Mechanics and Spare Parts Dealers Workshops and Licensing of Mechanics” is being sponsored by the State Government.
Presenting the bill for a second time, the Majority Leader of the House, Hon. Tim Owhefere who also led the debate, said that safety of lives is the very essence of the proposed law, pointing out that the problem of fake and adulterated products has become a major challenge in Nigeria.
In his words: “The very essence of this bill is safety of lives. It has to do with how we can protect the lives of Deltans who use motor vehicles, who buy spare parts from spare part dealers, everyday. If one goes to buy spare parts, there are chances that the ones you would buy today have been faked and it portends danger. When you use such parts in a car and you are running on a highway, anything can happen”.
Leading further, Hon. Owhefere decried the shift in focus of a true mechanic who ought to first put a car in a proper order to ensure the safety of lives, stating that what we have today are quacks and because of the lure of financial gains, they hardly know their jobs before they open workshop.
“All they are after is, can you repair this vehicle? Yes sir, I can. At the end of the day, the innocent person takes the vehicle, gets on the highway, the rest is history. This bill therefore seeks to cure this ill”, the Majority Leader stressed.
Sections of the bill as stated by the Majority Leader revealed that, potential motor vehicle mechanics in Delta State must be registered by the Directorate of Transport with evidence of a training certificate, location of the workshop, number of employees at the workshop, number of workshops and other details. “The registration is primarily to enable the Directorate of Transport know where and who is where, working at where at a particular time.”
He added that the registration of a special trade license in line with this law will be renewed annually.
He further pointed out that in the case of a default, Section 12 of the bill stipulates penalty of 3 months imprisonment or a fine of N200,000.00 or both and the office of the Attorney General of the State is empowered by this law to prosecute offenders.
Hon. Owhofere submitted that the bill is directed towards the safety of lives on our highways and that the bill is dear to every honourable member because “we take safety of the lives of our constituents very serious.”
Hon. Daniel Mayuku, Hon. Pat Ajudua, Hon. Anthony Elekeokwuori, Hon. Izeze Rueben, Hon. Evance Ivwurie, Hon. Azuka Azaka, Hon. Daniel Yingi, Hon. Peter Okagbare and Hon. Samuel Mariere who all engaged in the robust debate, threw their massive support for the proposed bill.
They all posited that with the law in place, the safety of the lives of every Deltan and Nigerians at large will be protected from unprofessional vehicle repairs by mechanics within the state.
The honourable members also added that the bill will provide the standardization of the skill of Mechanics, provide a database for craftsmen, Mechanics and spare parts dealers in the state and boost the revenue of Delta State.
The Speaker of the House, Rt. Hon. Sheriff Oborevwori after receiving the “ayes” support, handed over the bill to an ad hoc committee led by Hon. Johnson Erijo with Hon. Festus Okoh, Hon. Eric Oharisi, Hon. Kennedy Daubry and Hon. Peter Okagbare as members for further consideration.
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