The Lagos State Government Motor Vehicle Administration Agency (MVAA) has said that auto registration of vehicles has helped in detecting the stolen vehicles in State.

Mr Akin Hanson, the Permanent Secretary of the agency, made this known during a courtesy visit of the members of the Committee on Transportation of Lagos State House of Assembly to the agency.

Hanson in his address emphasized the importance of automation of vehicles, hackney permit, auto insurance and auto alert in vehicle registration.

‘We have maintained a robust data base in the registration of vehicles which helps all the security interface like the Police, SSS and Federal Road Safety Commission in combating crime related to vehicles in the State,’’ he added.

The Permanent Secretary added that one of the benefits of auto registration was the alert received in the process of dismantling the vehicle for recycling by hoodlums.

Hanson said that many stolen vehicles were being recovered through automation, noting that security agents were no more running after stolen vehicles, but only needed to alert the agency to get the vehicle trapped.

He appealed to the State Government to urgently find a solution to the menace of touts who extorted money from people with a promise of issuing vehicle licences.

Hanson also tasked the State House of Assembly to make a law that would ban illegal sale of cars and unregistered motor parts dealers in the State.

‘This law will bar any unregistered person to operate as a dealer or motor parts dealer so as to curb the incidence of car thefts in Lagos State,’’ he said.

The Permanent Secretary revealed that the agency was making efforts to protect buyers and sellers against stolen vehicles.

He also urged the State Government to provide adequate funds to the agency to enable it perform better.

Hanson said despite the fact that the agency was one of the vibrant agencies generating revenue for the State it was facing financial challenges, stressing that funds should be released to the agency to carry out its various projects.

In his contribution, Mr Bisi Yusuf, the Chairman of the Committee, appraised the efforts of the agency and assured that the lawmakers would assist the agency to curb the menace of unregistered dealers parading themselves as dealers.

Yusuf also said that an agency like MVAA needed to be properly financed in order to enable it discharge its duties creditably.