From Ndubuisi Orji, Abuja
House of Representatives has resolved to probe the Federal Road Safety Corps (FRSC), States Board of Internal Revenue (BIR) and Vehicle Inspection Office (VIO) over driver’s licence issuance and revenue generated from it in the last three years.
Consequently, the House mandated its Committee on FRSC to undertake the investigation and report back to it within four weeks for further legislative actions.
This followed the adoption of a motion by Afam Ogene, calling for accountability in the revenue generated from the issuance of driver’s licence.
Ogene, in his motion, informed the House that there is a tripartite arrangement between the FRSC, States Board of Internal Revenue (BIR) and Vehicle Inspection Office (VIO) on the issuance or renewal of driver’s licence.
He added that the approving signature on a driver’s license typically comes from a designated officer at the Motor Vehicle Administration Agency (MVAA) in the state where the license application originated.
According to him, “A learner’s permit for driving a motor vehicle is first issued at a prescribed fee by the MVAA in the relevant state before the release of a driver’s license.”
Nonetheless, Ogene stated that the FRSC operates a ‘very important person (VIP) centre,’ ostensibly for the renewal of a driver’s license, but which is reportedly being used for issuing fresh driver’s licenses that are not preceded with a learner’s permit.
He noted that recently the Joint Tax Board (JTB) reviewed the fees payable for a five year and three years driver’s license to N21,000 and N15,000, respectively, for a motor vehicle, as well as N11,000 and N7,000, respectively, for a motorcycle or tricycle effective from from November 1, 2024.
The lawmaker added that there are allegations that the FRSC is using its Information Processing Centre (IPC) to warehouse data for driver’s licenses and shortchange the State BIR and VIO in the fees generated from processing driver’s licences.
The lawmaker noted that it is worrisome that the FRSC is reportedly controlling receiving accounts for drivers’ license fees, including those from driving school certification and driving history applications meant for foreign travel applications.
According to him, “the yearly revenue generated from chargeable fees, which amounts to hundreds of billions of Naira is also allegedly unaccounted for by the Vehicle Inspection Office and various state Boards of Internal Revenue.”
Furthermore, Ogene said it is disturbing “that the processing of drivers’ licences is unexplainably being delayed for upwards of two to three years after the biometric data capturing of applicants.
“The huge debts the FRSC owes Galaxy Backbone Ltd and other system consultants that provide the network and maintain the biometrics data capturing system, are responsible for the system slowdown and the resultant long delay in the issuance of drivers’ licences.”
Therefore, he argued that it is imperative to ascertain which agency has the legal mandate to design, produce and issue driver’s licence.