The Federal Road Safety Corps, FRSC, yesterday stated that the N6,000 spent to procure a driver’s licence and N12,000 for vehicle plate number is too poor, as the agency is spending so much to produce them. It went on to reveal plans to increase the amount.
The Corps Marshall of the agency, Boboye Oyeyemi, stated this yesterday at the 136th meeting of the Joint Tax Board, JTB, held in Abuja, where he cried out to the board to facilitate the payment of over N700 million owed it by various states in the country.
He also said the commission was tinkering with the idea of increasing the cost of procuring the driver’s licence and vehicle plate number, stressing that the current rate of N6,000 and N12,000 for both items respectively, was no longer sustainable judging from the hike in operational cost.
Oyeyemi said the debt was crippling its operations nationwide, adding that its running cost keeps swelling as many states have failed to supply generators to the FRSC offices where vehicle plate number plates and drivers licence are procured.
He however lauded some states like Anambra and Delta for offsetting their debt, even as he urged others to emulate them.
“FRSC is owed N700 million. I’ve written to the JTB. We need this money badly because it’s hurting our operations. Some states have credit balance of millions. We offer credit facilities but paying for service rendered is now very key. I hope the JTB intervenes,” he said.
Speaking on the plate number and driver’s licence, the Corps Marshall disclosed that the FRSC was spending much more to produce the two items due to recession, a development that is forcing the commission to push for an increase in the cost of procuring them.
“N6,000 to get a driver’s licence and N12,000 for vehicle plate number is too poor. We are spending so much to produce them. I’m running over 200 in stations across the country. I shouldn’t be providing that. The states should.
“When I came in last year, the popular Mikano generator was N1.5 million, now it’s N3.8 million. Only Kwara State provided a generator. Majority of the states defaulted in providing that. All states should have secured offices. They should own these stations and I want to relocate workstations there. I want to stamp out corruption. Enough is enough.
“So, for us, our running costs is too high and the states should help us. We can be collecting N1,000 on every plate number and N500 on every licence as commission. That will help us a great deal,” he added.
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