Motorcycle Commercial Uses and Protective Helmets Law

MOTORCYCLE COMMERCIAL USES AND PROTECTIVE HELMETS LAW

1. Citation. This Law may be cited as the Motorcycle Commercial Uses and Protective Helmets Law.

2. Interpretation. In this Law- "appropriate authority" means the motor vehicle zonal licensing office; "Commissioner" means the Commissioner for Finance; "identity card number" means the zonal identity card number of the motorcycle registered under this Law; "motorcycle" means motorcycle or tricycle used for commercial purposes whether partially or fully; "owner" means the registered owner of the motorcycle registered under the appropriate Motor Licensing Law in force in the State; "rider" means any person in charge of riding the motorcycle registered under this Law; "road" means any road, or highway to which the public have access; "State" means the Delta State of Nigeria; "vest" or "official vest" means the vest officially issued by the zonal registration office established under this Law.

3. Motorcycles as commercial vehicles. Subject to the provisions of this Law and notwithstanding the provisions of any law for the time being in force in the State, commercial uses of road worthy motorcycles are hereby recognised and declared as lawful means of commercial transportation in the State.

4. Registration. (1) Notwithstanding the provisions of any other law being in force in the State, no person shall use or operate a motorcycle for commercial purposes on a full or part-time basis in the State unless such motorcycle- (a) has a current motorcycle licence for the year of operation; (b) has a valid motorcycle insurance from a reputable insurance company for the current year; (c) is duly registered in accordance with this Law; (d) is handled only by a registered rider; (e) is manned at all times while on the public highway on business by a rider who wears his official vest and identity card; (f) shall not carry more than one person at a time. (2) Application for registration of a motorcycle shall be as prescribed in Form A in the First Schedule of this Law. [Form A. First Schedule.] (3) There shall be paid an annual registration fee of two hundred naira for the registration of a motorcycle under this Law. (4) For the purposes of this Law, the Commissioner shall designate the State into zones and assign a registration code and number to each zone. (5) The appropriate authority shall issue upon payment of the prescribed amount- (a) a registration number, zonal code and identity card bearing both the code number and registration number allocated to the motorcycle; and (b) a vest of red and white with the zonal motorcycle identity number inscribed on the front and back of the vest. (6) The vest issued under subsection (5) of this section shall be worn by every motorcycle rider while operating the motorcycle. (7) The prescribed amount shall be one hundred and fifty naira for the identity card and three hundred and fifty naira for the vest.

5. Zonal offices. (1) For the purposes of this Law each of the local government councils in the State is hereby constituted into a zone and assigned the corresponding code number as contained in the Second Schedule of this Law. (2) (a) Every 10 but not more than 50 members of registered motorcycle riders shall be registered as a unit of that zone, and the members of such unit shall be residing in the same contiguous geographical area of such zone. (b) Every member of such unit shall apply to be registered as in form D of the First Schedule to this Law and upon registration such unit shall be assigned a sub-code number. [Form D. First Schedule.] (c) The registration code number, identity card and vest under this Law shall bear the zonal code. The sub-code number and the specific number of the motorcycle shall be in the order of registration in that unit. (d) The Motor Licensing Officer in each zone is hereby empowered to open registers and keep a register known as a commercial motorcycle register for each unit in his zones as in Form E of the First Schedule of this Law. [Form E. First Schedule.] (e) The register required to be opened under section 5 (2) (d) of this Law shall contain- (i) a brief description of the unit area; (ii) the name and residential address of each registered member of the unit; (iii) the unit number; (iv) the type of registered motorcycle; (v) the owner of the motorcycle (if different from rider); (vi) the address of the owner; (vii) the occupation of the owner. (3) Any change in the register shall be furnished to the zonal motor licensing officer by the rider and the owner of the motorcycle within three days of such change and the zonal motor licensing officer shall effect such change in the said register immediately. (4) Notwithstanding the provision of any other law, it shall be an offence to use any motorcycle for commercial purpose if subsection 3 of this section is not complied with. (5) Any person who knowingly supplies any false information to any public officer in connection with any matter contained in this Law is guilty of an offence and shall upon conviction be liable to a fine of one thousand naira or six months’ imprisonment.

6. Wearing of protective helmets. No person shall ride a motorcycle on any road in the State unless the rider of such motorcycle or any person carried thereon, wears an approved protective helmet.

7. Operating fee. (1) A motorcycle rider shall pay daily the sum of fifteen naira or three hundred and ninety naira monthly as an operating fee. (2) The Commissioner for Finance shall by order published in the Gazette amend this fee rate and other rates from time to time. (3) The operating fee shall be collected daily by the Zonal Chairman of the Motorcycle Riders Association and paid daily into the State Government Treasury or such other bank account as may be approved by the Commissioner. (4) The Zonal Chairman of the Association shall- (a) keep a record of all motorcycle registration numbers and codes of all payees in triplicate; and (b) send a copy of each of such record to the Commissioner and the zonal licensing officer. (5) All monies collected at the end of every month in accordance with the provisions of this section shall be disbursed in the following manner- (a) State Government 85% (b) Board of Internal Revenue 5% (c) Chairmen, Motorcycle Riders Association 10%. (6) All payments accruing under subsection (4) of this section shall be made by the Accountant-General of the State at the end of each month in accordance with the revenue generated within each zone. (7) The rider shall be entitled to a tax clearance certificate amounting to the payment made by him. (8) The zonal licensing officer shall issue receipts booklets to the Chairman of the Motorcycle Riders Association to be issued daily to all registered motorcycles whether such motorcycle was operated on any day or not unless otherwise exempted by the Revenue Court in accordance with section 7 of this Law.

8. Change of registered particulars. (1) Whenever there is a change of a motorcycle rider, such rider shall submit to the appropriate authority his identity card together with an affidavit containing the fact of the change. (2) It shall be the duty of an owner to notify the Zonal Registration Office and the Motorcycle Association of the zone of the change of rider, use or transfer of ownership of the motorcycle or such change affecting the revenue accruing to the State Government which shall be as in Form B in the First Schedule to this Law. (3) Where such owner fails, neglects or refuses to file necessary notification as stipulated by this section he shall be deemed to be liable to all incidence of the continuous usage of a registered commercial motorcycle under this Law. (4) Where a registered owner and/or rider fails to remit the daily amount stipulated in section 5 of this Law for more than 7 days it shall be open to any public officer to file a claim as in Form C in the First Schedule of this Law before the State Revenue Court for the outstanding arrears, with interest at 10 percent monthly and the sum of one thousand naira litigation expenses, which amount shall be payable upon the finding of failure to pay the daily payment under this Law. [Form C. First Schedule.]

9. Court. (1) Any contravention of the provisions of this Law shall be triable by the State Revenue Court having jurisdiction in the venue of commission of the offence. (2) Any person committing an offence under this Law may be arrested without warrant.

10. Offences. (1) Any rider who- (a) uses or operates a motorcycle for commercial purposes in contravention of sections 4 and 6, of this Law; or (b) uses or permits to be used a motorcycle for more than two days without payment of the operating fee, shall be guilty of an offence and shall be liable on conviction to a fine of two thousand naira or three months’ imprisonment. (2) Any rider who- (a) operates a motorcycle without an identity card and vest; (b) does not wear his identity card and vest; or (c) wears the identity card or vest of another rider, is guilty of an offence and upon conviction is liable to a fine of three thousand naira or one year imprisonment. (3) Any rider who- (a) operates of rides a motorcycle without wearing the protective helmet; or (b) carries any person who does not wear the protective helmet, shall be guilty of an, offence and shall be liable on conviction to a fine of three thousand naira or one year imprisonment or to both such fine and imprisonment.

11. Penalty. (1) Any zonal chairman of the Motorcycle Riders Association who fails to comply with the provisions of this Law is guilty of an offence and shall upon conviction be liable to a fine of five thousand naira or one year imprisonment or to both such fine and imprisonment. (2) Notwithstanding subsection (1) of this section, such Zonal Chairman of the Motorcycle Riders Association shall also be made to pay the monies collected in accordance with section 6 (2) of this Law.

12. Regulations. The Commissioner may from time to time with the approval of the Governor, make regulations providing for any matter which appears to him to be necessary for the purpose of giving effect to the provisions of this Law. Schedule 1 MOTORCYCLE COMMERCIAL USES AND PROTECTIVE HELMETS LAW [Section 4 (2).] FORM A Commercial Motorcycle Application Form Name (owner of motorcycle): ........................................................................................................... Owner's Passport Actual address of owner ...................................................................................................................... Type of motorcycle .............................................................................................................................. Engine ................................................................................................................................................. Identity card no. ................................................................................................................................... Rider's Passport Four passport photographs of both owner and rider to be attached to form. .................................... ............................................ Signature of Owner Signature of Rider FORM B [Section 8 (2).] Notice of Change of Rider/Use/Transfer of Registered Motorcycle To: (1) The Motorcycle Registered Zonal Officer Zone......................................................................................................................................... Type of motorcycle ................................................................................................................. Motor licencing no. .................................................................................................................... Zonal registration no................................................................................................................... TAKE NOTICE that- (2) The rider of the above registered motorcycle with identity card no................. has changed to whose particulars are as in Form A and passport is herewith submitted. ............................... Owner/Rider FORM C [Section 8 (4).] Claims for Outstanding Arrears In the............................................................... Court of Delta State In the ............................................................................................... Judicial Division take notice that you ....................................................................... on the ............................... day of ......................... 20 ...................... The motorcycle licensing office has t brought this claim before this Honourable Court for the sum of .................................................... being due and payable on the ............................. day of ............................ , 20.................... .......................................... .............................................. Motor Licencing Officer Court Registrar FORM D [Section 5 (2) (b).] Unit Member Registration Form Name (rider of motorcycle) ................................................................................................................. Actual address of owner ...................................................................................................................... Type of motorcycle ............................................................................................................................. Engine no .............................................................................................................................................. Zone .................................................................................................................................................... Motorcycle unit no .............................................................................................................................. Rider's Passport FORM E [Section (2) (d).] Commercial Motorcycle Register Serial No. .................................... Zonal Code ........................... Unit Code ..................................

1. (a) Name of rider ................................................................................................................... (b) Address of rider .................................................................................................................... (c) Rider's identity card no......................................................................................................... (d) Unit no .................................................................................................................................. (e) Type of registered motorcycle ............................................................................................ (f) Motorcycle licencing no........................................................................................................ (g) Name of owner (if different from rider)............................................................................... (h) Owner's address.................................................................................................................... (i) Owner's occupation.............................................................................................................. Serial No. .................................... Zonal Code ........................... Unit Code ..................................

2. (a) Name of rider ................................................................................................................... (b) Address of rider .................................................................................................................... (c) Rider's identity card no......................................................................................................... (d) Unit no .................................................................................................................................. (e) Type of registered motorcycle ............................................................................................ (f) Motorcycle licencing no........................................................................................................ (g) Name of owner (if different from rider) .............................................................................. (h) Owner's address.................................................................................................................... (i) Owner's occupation.............................................................................................................. Serial No. .................................... Zonal Code ........................... Unit Code ..................................

3. (a) Name of rider ................................................................................................................... (b) Address of rider .................................................................................................................... (c) Rider's identity card no......................................................................................................... (d) Unit no .................................................................................................................................. (e) Type of registered motorcycle ............................................................................................ (f) Motorcycle licencing no........................................................................................................ (g) Name of owner (if different from rider) .............................................................................. (h) Owner's address.................................................................................................................... (i) Owner's occupation.............................................................................................................. Serial No. .................................... Zonal Code ........................... Unit Code ..................................

4. (a) Name of rider ................................................................................................................... (b) Address of rider .................................................................................................................... (c) Rider's identity card no......................................................................................................... (d) Unit no .................................................................................................................................. (e) Type of registered motorcycle ............................................................................................ (f) Motorcycle licencing no........................................................................................................ (g) Name of owner (if different from rider) .............................................................................. (h) Owner's address.................................................................................................................... (i) Owner's occupation.............................................................................................................. Serial No. .................................... Zonal Code ........................... Unit Code ..................................

5. (a) Name of rider ................................................................................................................... (b) Address of rider .................................................................................................................... (c) Rider's identity card no......................................................................................................... (d) Unit no .................................................................................................................................. (e) Type of registered motorcycle ............................................................................................ (f) Motorcycle licencing no........................................................................................................ (g) Name of owner (if different from rider) .............................................................................. (h) Owner's address.................................................................................................................... (i) Owner's occupation.............................................................................................................. Serial No. .................................... Zonal Code ........................... Unit Code ..................................

6. (a) Name of rider ................................................................................................................... (b) Address of rider .................................................................................................................... (c) Rider's identity card no......................................................................................................... (d) Unit no .................................................................................................................................. (e) Type of registered motorcycle ............................................................................................ (f) Motorcycle licencing no........................................................................................................ (g) Name of owner (if different from rider)............................................................................... (h) Owner's address.................................................................................................................... (i) Owner's occupation.............................................................................................................. Schedule 2 MOTORCYCLE COMMERCIAL USES AND PROTECTIVE HELMETS LAW [Section 5 (1).] S/NO. LOCAL GOVERNMENT COUNCIL CODE

1. Aniocha South AS

2. Aniocha North AN

3. Bomadi BD

4. Burutu BU

5. Ethiope East EE

6. Ethiope West EW

7. Ika North East IE

8. Ika South IK

9. Isoko North IN

10. Isoko South IS

11. Ndokwa East NE

12. Ndokwa West NW

13. Okpe OK

14. Oshimili North ON

15. Oshimili South OS

16. Patani PT

17. Sapele SP

18. Udu UD

19. Ughelli North UN

20. Ughelli South US

21. Ukwani UK

22. Uvwie UV

23. Warri North WN

24. Warri South-West WS

25. Warri South-West WW