Customers wishing to secure drivers’ license have called for the intervention of the government over alleged exploitation by Federal Road Safety Commission (FRSC) officers at the issuance office in Minna, the Niger State capital.
The Sector Commander, Yusuf Garba, has however insisted that the command has maintained zero tolerance for touting in the state.
While the official rate for drivers’ license issuance, payable to the banks is N6, 350 and N10, 450 for three years and five years, respectively, for both fresh applicants and renewals, customers are made to pay as much as, N7, 500 and N12, 000 at the command’s office in Minna.
It was also gathered that, while the unsuspecting customers are made to part with their monies, some are also made to pay extra to enable the officers on duty ‘buy fuel to fuel the generator’ for capturing.
The activities of the officers at the Minna issuance office have severally brought the command and the Vehicle Inspection Officers (VIO) and the Niger State Board of Internal Revenue at daggers’ drawn over who gets what sum of money from customers.
While many of the customers, particularly rural commuters resorted to opting for a ‘covering note’ from the VIO to avoid alleged exploitative tendencies of the FRSC, others whose licenses may have long expired simply drive at nights or after close of work to avoid arrests.
Some customers also told our correspondent that their frustrations were further compounded by the demands by the VIO that they go for ‘validity tests’ of their vehicle at a particular VIO office along Sango area, Minna where they are also compelled to pay more than usual amount.
“They told us that the N12, 000 or N7, 500 we are paying is for the Board of Internal Revenue, VIO and the FRSC”, when asked if they were aware that paying to the officers amounts to touting and how they arrived at paying cash to the officers instead of being encouraged on the procedures to pay into the banks.
Meanwhile, the FRSC Sector Commander, Malam Yusuf Garba, said that the command had cautioned Nigerlites against patronizing touts at the issuance offices in their quest to obtain new drivers’ license or renew expired ones.
The Sector commander spoke through the Deputy Corps Commandant, Sector Head of Operations, Matthew Olonisaye.
He said that the official rate for issuance of drivers’ license is N6, 350 and N10, 450 payable to the banks for three or five years, respectively.
“We have always warned against patronizing touts at our issuing offices. In fact, you can even apply from the comfort of your homes for people who already have drivers’ license and want to renew by logging to our website and follow the instructions”.
Garba however hinted that whatever happens between customers, the VIO and the Board of Internal Revenue is none of their business but insisted that, N12, 000 and N7, 500 being demanded from customers is not the official rate the FRSC is requesting from the general public.
The General Manager Niger State Board of Internal Revenue and the Director-General VIO in the state could not be reached for comments on the sharing formula for monies generated from the N12, 000 and N7, 500 customers are made to pay before obtaining drivers’ license as at the time of this report.
Source: nigerianewsflight.com
