The Nigeria Police and the Federal Road Safety Commission (FRSC) on Wednesday, in Abuja, disagreed over who had the right to issue vehicle number plates and keep the database of vehicles in Nigeria.

This was at the public hearing on the controversial new vehicle plates and driver’s licence by the Senate Committee on Federal Character and Inter-governmental Affairs.

While the police said it was the exclusive responsibility of the State Motor Licensing Authority to issue the driving and vehicle documents and the police maintain the database, it was the FRSC that was at present handling it.

A Deputy Inspector General of Police, Olajide Akano, presented the position of the police at the hearing while the FRSC Corps Marshal, Osita Chidoka, represented his commission.

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 told the committee that the police had already concluded arrangements on an electronic data system, Enhanced Central Motor Registration, which would capture vehicle registration in the country electronically.

The Corps Marshal of FRSC, Mr Osita Chidoka  said the police had no business in the registration of vehicles “because they were not authorised by the Joint Tax Board (JTB) to do so.

“The Enhanced Central Motor Registry (ECMR) currently collected by the police is an illegal tax as far as JTB is concerned.’’

Chidoka made the remarks in Abuja at the public hearing on new number plates and drivers’ licences organised by the Senate Committee on Federal Character and Inter-governmental Affairs.

He referred to the communiqué of the 104th meeting of the JTB in Nasarawa State in August 2003, “which stated that road taxes were the responsibility of the states.

“The communiqué categorised ECMR as un-receipted tax by the police.

“The meeting agreed that the function of keeping motor vehicle records is statutorily by the FRSC.’’

The Deputy Inspector-General of Police (DIG) in charge of ICT, Mr Abdelrahman Akano told the committee that the police planned to introduce digital vehicle registration.

Akano said that motorists would be charged N3,500 and N5,000 for plain glass vehicles and tinted glass vehicles respectively.

The representative of Safety Beyond Borders (SBB), an NGO, Mr Adenusi Patrick blamed the high cost of the new number plates on the activities of touts who extorted hapless Nigerians.

“The activities of touts have made Nigerians to end up paying higher above the official cost of N15,000 for the new number plates.

“If we eliminate touting, the process of getting the new number plates will be easier and affordable.’’

Mr Idris Abdul, the Executive Director, Centre for Human Rights and Conflict Resolution, Lokoja, said the FRSC was created for the maintenance of safety on the roads and not for revenue generation.

“A major policy change of this magnitude that affects all classes of the Nigerian society needs not to be in a rush for implementation.

“We wonder why the interest of the Nigerian citizen was not taken into consideration through consultations and advocacy in the planning of the so called laudable programme.’’

The Secretary-General of the Motor Dealers Association of Abuja, Mr Ajibola Adedoyin said the new number plates should be used in newly purchased cars.

“Old number plates should be in use and replacement should be voluntary. Cars to be registered should be made to collect the new number plates.’’

The vice chairman of the committee, Senator Babajide Omowurare (ACN- Osun) said it would create stronger collaboration among agencies involved in vehicle registration.

“We hope with this public hearing, a number of burning issues will come out that will enable us amend some of the laws of the Federation of Nigeria.

Meanwhile, the committee has ordered the arrest of Mr Chris Ahanonu, representative of the Centre for Moral Clarity and Change, for disparaging the National Assembly.

Ahanonu, in his presentation, said members of the National Assembly were not in touch with the people they represented. “The National Assembly, as presently constituted, is far away from the people.’’

The Chairman of the committee, Senator Dahiru Kuta (PDP-Niger) said the National Assembly would not allow its cherished reputation to be rubbished by selfish individuals.