Vehicle registration: Police, FRSC disagree

Posted by Mgbenka at Thursday, March 29, 2012 |

The Federal Road Safety Corps (FRSC) and the Nigeria Police, on Wednesday, disagreed over who has  the right to issue vehicle number plates and keep the database of vehicles in Nigeria.
 The exercise is currently being  undertaken by the FRSC but the police claimed it was an exclusive responsibility of the State Motor Licensing Authority (MLA) while keeping of database was that of the police.

 However, the  FRSC Corps Marshal, Osita Chidoka, in his reaction, noted that the ECMR programme of the police had been faulted and
certified illegal by the Joint Task Board that met separately at Kano and Nasarawa states.

This drama played out during the public hearing on new number plate and driver’s licence by the Senate Committee  on Federal Character
and Inter-governmental Affairs, where Deputy Inspector General of Police (DIG), Olajide Akano, said new number plate registration and driver’s licence upgrading by the FRSC were illegal and a violation of the Act setting up the commission.

He informed  the committee that the police had already concluded arrangement on an electronic data system, Enhanced Central Motor Registration (ECMR),  which would   capture vehicle registration in the country electronically.
 Akano  further said  that the system would address the security challenges in the country.
But the FRSC boss replied, saying that the ECMR programme of the ploce had been certified illegal by the Joint Task Board that met at Kano and Nasarawa States.
 He went ahead to read  the communiqué of the JTB meeting, while insisting that it was the responsibility of the FRSC, as stipulated by the FRSC Act, to issue number plates  and  keep the data of vehicles.