Police, FRSC trade words over new number plates

A WAR of words ensued between the Nigeria Police Force (NPF) and the Federal Road Safety Corps (FRSC) at the Senate public hearing on the controversial new number plates yesterday. Both agencies traded words over the legality or otherwise of the production of the material.

Police representative at the public hearing, organized by the Senate Committee on Federal Character and intergovernmental Affairs, Deputy Inspector General of Police (DIG) Olajide Akano, faulted the introduction of the new number plates and Driver’s license by the FRSC, describing it as illegal and a violation of the Act setting up the commission.

Akano told the panel the Police had put in place its own Enhanced Central Motor registration (ECMR), to capture vehicle registrations in Nigeria, which he noted, would cost N3, 500 (plain glass) and N5,000 (tinted glass) respectively. He said the measure was intended to take care of the security challenges in the country.

But the FRSC Corps Marshal, Osita Chidoka faulted Akano, insisting that the ECMR programme had already been faulted by the Joint Tax Board (JTB), which, according to him, had described it as illegal. He said: “At the 104th meeting of the Joint Tax Board, between August 6 and 7, 2003 in Nasarawa State, the communiqué noted that road taxes are the responsibility of the states. The communiqué also highlighted that the ECMR are un-receipted by the Police. The meeting agreed that the function of keeping motor vehicle records is (the statutory responsibility of) the FRSC. The CMR, as currently issued, is illegal.”

The Chairman of the committee, Awesu Kuta had to intervene and caution the two parties not to bring back the rivalry between the two organisations. A member of the committee, Kabiru Marafa, however, faulted the Police and declared that the organization does not have the right produce the material.

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