The Lagos State Government has commenced the interstate park accreditation and digitalization of travelers’ manifests, as part of efforts to enhance travelers’ safety and security.
It said that car parks and garages that aim to function across the state must meet its minimum safety and service standards to be officially certified as operators.
These certified parks, according to the state government, will display prominent signage indicating their accreditation and assure passengers boarding from their park of better security and safety.
However, parks that do not meet its standards, particularly the unregulated parks, will be mandated to relocate and infuse into the accredited parks across the state.
It noted that another option available for these parks, which the government described as ‘mushroom,’ will be to upgrade their standards towards meeting the Lagos transport safety standards.
Meanwhile, the government also stated that it will be transiting from analog to digital passenger manifests computation, saying this is designed to capture and store passenger’s information for security purposes.
Speaking during a press brief on this development, the Commissioner for Transportation, Oluwaseun Osiyemi, stated that implementing this initiative will provide immediate access to accurate data in the event of any incidents.
“The Lagos State Interstate Park Accreditation and Passenger Manifest Digitization project is an ambitious program designed to standardize our interstate parks and digitize the passenger manifest system. This is more than just a modernization effort; it is a commitment to the safety and comfort of every traveler who moves in and out of Lagos by road”
“Lagos currently had 30 regulated parks, while over 100 parks remained unregulated, with ongoing efforts to bring them into the system”
” Each passenger’s information will now be digitally recorded, ensuring that data is secure, accurate, and instantly accessible to the necessary authorities. For the established parks with existing booking systems, we will integrate their systems into our centralized database to ensure continuity and accuracy in data collection” he added.
Emphasizing the importance of this initiative, Osiyemi noted that devices and agents necessary to digitalize the manifest on-site will be provided to ensure that no traveler is left out of the safety enhancement saying “This streamlined system will empower first responders with immediate access to essential passenger information, allowing them to act quickly and accurately in emergencies,” he added.
Speaking on how to protect the data collected from passengers, the Commissioner assured that Cowry Wise who he described as “Julius Berger” of the tech transportation sectors has been on regulations for years.
Meanwhile, one of the stakeholders present during the briefing, the Managing Director, of Touch and Pay, Afolabi Olamide, assured that the project will not only strengthen public safety but will generate employment opportunities and provide valuable data to guide urban planning and transportation policy.
