FRSC SUSPENDS PLANNED ENFORCEMENT OF NEW NUMBER PLATE

The Federal Road Safety Corps (FRSC) said it has not fixed a deadline for a nationwide enforcement of the new vehicle number plate and driver’s license, and cautioned its commanding officers against clamping down on motorists.
This is coming on the heels of the media reports and on-line publications of a proposed plan by the FRSC to commence a nationwide clampdown on vehicle owners and motorists from August 1, for the non-compliance with the directive on the new vehicle number plate and driver’s licence.

The Lagos State Sector Commander, FRSC, Chidi Nkwonta, had said that the corps would commence the enforcement in violation of a Federal High Court order which ruled that the corps had no constitutional power to compel Nigerians to procure the new number plate and driver’s license.

But the corps in a statement in Abuja yesterday stated that it still stands on its earlier deferment of the enforcement in obedience to a court order on the matter.

The statement by the Corps Public Education Officer, Julius Agwu, said that the FRSC would continue to abide by the decision of the Joint Tax Board which suspended the enforcement of the enhanced Motor Vehicle Number Plate and the Driver’s License pending the outcome of the appeal by the FRSC.

It said, “For avoidance of doubt, the Corps wishes to state that it still stands on the earlier resolve to defer enforcement of the new number plate and driver’s license following the suspension of the 30th June 2014 deadline for a change to the enhanced motor vehicle number plate by the Joint Tax Board which is statutorily mandated to determine road taxes including prices of number plates and driver’s license.

“The Board had decided after its 129th meeting held on 23rd and 24th April, 2014 at the Headquarters of Edo State Internal Revenue Services in Benin that in the light of the Court judgment against the FRSC, the Board decided to suspend the 30th June, 2014 deadline earlier announced for a change to enhanced Motor Vehicle Number Plate and the Driver’s License pending the outcome of the appeal by the FRSC.”

“The states Internal Revenue Service, the FRSC and the Vehicle Inspection Offices (VIOs) have been encouraged to put all necessary logistics in place to improve vehicle registration and issuance of driver’s licence in order to build a comprehensive database.”

Julius Agwu said the corps re-iterated an earlier directive to its commanding officers to defer enforcement on the deadline, in keeping with the JTB suspension and the court ruling pending the determination of the appeal.

He however urged motorists to renew their driver’s and vehicle licences as they expire in line with extant provisions of the law.