From Paul Osuyi, Asaba
The Delta State Traffic Management Authority (DESTMA) has raised alarm over an alleged racket in the issuance of driver’s license by officials of the Federal Road Safety Corps (FRSC) in the state.
Director General of the traffic agency, Azubuike Idah who raised the alarm while addressing journalists in Asaba, alleged that monies paid were being diverted into private pockets as receipts were not being issued.
Idah said the practice of issuing stamped pieces of paper to whoever makes payment for driver’s license was fraudulent, insisting that the ideal practice was the issuance of an official receipt.
“If you go to pay for your driver’s license, they give you paper and collect your money. It is fake, because the way it is supposed to be done is that as they are giving the paper, they should attach a copy of the receipt.
“Then you go and be using that paper which they stamped, and when it expires, they give you another one. We impounded one vehicle because the driver was without a license.
“He (the driver) came here and I asked him to go and produce his license. He left and within 20 minutes, he came back with a piece of paper without receipt. I ask him to leave my office and that the vehicle would not be released until he brings a valid receipt.
“He left and came back with the FRSC official who started speaking grammar. I threatened that I will call Abuja. Then he went and wrote on a piece of paper that he collected N30,000.00.
“Government money is not supposed to be in private pockets. So many people are in this same situation, some people have been driving in the past four or five years with such fake papers. So there is a racket going on,” he alleged.
But in a swift reaction, the sector commander of FRSC in the state, Mr. Udeme Bassey Eshiet denied the allegation, explaining that those going about without receipts after making payments must have fallen into the hands of touts.
“There is nobody that will go and pay and will not be issued a receipt. What is there is that most of them run into the hands of touts.
“The process is that you go to driving school and they issue you a certificate which you will take down to the driver license center and fulfill the necessary requirements. And you pay, they give you a receipt.
“Those things you normally see where they print out forms for you to fill, insist on getting receipts for payment. But if you fall into the hands of touts, they will tell you that there is no receipt.
“People should be able to go to the right place, it is unfortunate that many of them are passing through the back door,” Eshiet stated.