The Federal Capital Territory Administration (FCTA) has teamed up with the National Union of Dispatch Riders and Mail Operators of Nigeria (NUDRMON) to strengthen the identification of legitimate dispatch riders and expose criminal elements operating within Abuja.
The Mandate Secretary of the FCTA Transportation Secretariat, Mr Chinedum Elechi, announced the partnership on Wednesday during a meeting with officials of the union in Abuja.
The collaboration follows the union’s introduction of a central database, registration portal and unique identification numbers for its members. The system is intended to enable authorities and members of the public to distinguish registered riders from unidentified operators.
Elechi said the initiative was particularly important amid concerns over unidentified riders allegedly using dispatch boxes to conceal illegal items.
He praised NUDRMON’s leadership for developing the identification system, describing it as “crucial in differentiating genuine riders from the bad eggs”.
The secretary also assured the union of the support of FCT Minister Nyesom Wike and the Transportation Secretariat.
“What is important is that you must collaborate and work very closely with the government,” he said.
“With this initiative, now we can isolate the bad eggs because it is usually common to paint people with one brush.
“Now the bad ones can be fetched out. Congratulations on this initiative. Our doors are open and ready to work with you in whatever way.
“We are happy to partner with you. After today we can say we are partners with dispatch riders. We can only protect those we have a relationship with”.
Earlier, NUDRMON National President, Mr Emmanuel Kwaghdega, said the database and body number system was designed to give every registered rider a unique and verifiable identity.
Kwaghdega said the dispatch riding industry had become an important source of employment for thousands of Nigerian youths, particularly since the COVID-19 pandemic. He noted that riders provide daily services to restaurants, pharmacies, e-commerce companies, financial institutions, businesses and households.
However, he said the industry was being undermined by security concerns, traffic violations, accidents, multiple operational permits and the absence of a uniform identification system.
According to him, the union recognised the need to establish a system that would enable the government to identify legitimate operators while making it easier to hold offenders accountable.
“We realised that we cannot continue like this. If we want government to protect us, government must know us; if we want the public to trust us, the public must be able to identify us.
“Also, if we want to hold bad operators accountable, we must distinguish them from genuine riders.
“Our vision is: one ride, one identity and one verifiable body number.
“With credible data, we can improve security, promote responsible riding, strengthen accountability, support accident and welfare interventions, engage estates and businesses, and provide government with reliable information for better planning and regulation.
“We also believe this database can provide the foundation for addressing challenges such as multiple operational permits, through engagement towards a more harmonised and rider-friendly framework,” he said.
Kwaghdega said government involvement would transform the initiative from an internal union project into a broader solution to security and transportation challenges in the FCT.
“It becomes a collaborative solution to a shared FCT transportation and security challenge.
“We, therefore, appreciate the FCTA Transportation Secretariat for believing in this initiative and for choosing collaboration over confrontation and organisation over uncertainty,” he said.
