The Association of Telematics Operators of Nigeria (ATON) has officially taken off following its recent unveiling in Lagos.
In its first inaugural stakeholder conference held on Thursday, December 17, at the Lagos Sheraton Hotel and Towers, Ikeja, the association intimated the public of its activities and what it stands for.
ATON is currently the only organisation of its kind with a mission to regulate the manufacturing standards, installation standard and certification of vehicle security and safety systems in Nigeria for the protection and projection of tracking and telematics industry and standards, and the delivery of safety to all stakeholders.
The conference witnessed different stakeholders from the private and public sector who shared their experience and promise to work with the association to eradicate fake tracking agents around the country.
Speaking, a representative of Nigeria Customs , DC Fawole, implored the association to look into the area of cargo tracking and the need for the association to do more enlightenment so that Nigerians will know more about the benefits of vehicle tracking.
A representative of the Nigeria Council of Registered Insurance Broker, Mr. Adeleye spoke on the importance of vehicle tracking and urged the executive members of the association to engage media and educate the local populace, “If possible in local languages like Igbo, Yoruba and Hausa languages.”
Commander Wale Odekunle, a representative of Federal Road Safety Corps (FRSC) said road safety is everybody’s business, saying ATON should be able to deal with environmental, human and mechanical factors that cause road accidents.
“Speed causes about 80 percent of road accidents in Nigeria,” he said, adding that “ by April 1, 2016 there will be a regulation of speed limit on the roads adding that ATON will need to educate Nigerians more about the importance of vehicle tracking as it will reduce the amount of lives and properties lost on the road every day.”
He also disclosed that road transportation takes 90 per cent of means of transportation in Nigeria while air, water and railway take the remaining 10 percent therefore when road users are properly educated about the usefulness of vehicle tracking, FRSC will have less work to do on the road.
Lagos State Police Commissioner, Mr Fatai Owoseni, represented by Deputy Commissioner Abiodun Odude, disclosed that tracking has helped the police to trace kidnappers not only recovering of vehicles saying that the Nigeria Police is everybody’s friend and the police is more than ready to help the association achieve its goals.
