The Directorate of Road Traffic Services, DRTS otherwise known as VIO and the Federal Road Safety Corps, FRSC are trading blame on who is responsible for the delay in the issuance of drivers' licence. How is to blame?
Olusola Ogunleye, 40, a civil servant, just bought a car but
unfortunately, he was arrested for driving without driver’s licence by the men
of the Directorate of Road Traffic Service, DRTS, otherwise known as VIO. When
it was time for him to do the driver’s licence, he went straight to the VIO but
he was told to register online and come to their office to process the licence.
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| FRSC boss, Chidoka |
Ogunleye did exactly that and after undergoing the compulsory
screening and practical driving test carried out by the VIO, he was directed to
the capturing room which is also in the same vicinity but being operated by Federal Road Safety Corps, FRSC, he became frustrated.
For over two months, Olusola has been visiting the capturing
office all to no avail. He was told that there were no materials for
production. Olusola told our correspondent that when he was re-arrested by the FRSC, he was directed to their office in Utako.
According to him, it took him just a day for him to get captured
by the machine and a temporary driver’s licence after spending over two months
visiting the capturing office at the VIO headquarters in Mabushi, Abuja.
For Ferdinand Okoro, he has no choice but to rush to the
neighbouring state, Nasarawa. Okoro claimed that he actually did his driver’s
licence through the normal process of registering online and undergoing the
compulsory driving test and got the driver’s licence two months after.
Okoro said he cannot go through the long process hence he decided
to opt for the neighbouring state. He said he is too busy to be going to sit at
the VIO office of the capturing office for non-availability of materials.
Public relations officer of the VIO, Iloduba said there are three
pillars that are responsible for the issuance of driver’s licence – the Joint
Tax Board, JTB; the DRTS and the FRSC.
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| DRTS boss, Alade |
He disclosed that the JTB’s job is to specify the amount to be
paid and they have done their own work; the DRTS is to test and determines the
competence of the drivers and recommend them for driver’s licence while the
FRSC’s responsibility is to capture the biometrics and issue the licence to
qualified drivers.
Iloduba said the DRTS have done their work and recommended so many
drivers hence the delay is not from the two other bodies but that from the
capturing room which is being handled by the FRSC.
The DRTS PRO said, “No problem from JTB so far, on daily basis, we
churn out competent drivers. The problem might be from the capturing of the
biometrics. Everyday people out-number the biometric capturing office. We are
fulfilling our own sides. We discovered that it is easier to get biometric at
FRSC than here (Mabushi).”
Meanwhile, our correspondent gathered that there will new biometric capturing
offices will be opened at the Gwagwalada and Mararaba offices to reduce the
pressure on the Mabushi centre but the new centres are yet to start functioning
as there are no materials. We discovered that the FRSC has not brought the
capturing machines to these centres.
Iloduba said, “It is a well-orchestrated sabotage. They bring in
few materials to the Mabushi office and they know that there are many people
trooping in on daily basis.”
When our correspondent went to the FRSC new headquarters, he was
frustrated by the officers at the entrance as he was tossed around. Meanwhile,
the Corps Public Education officer, Jonas Agwu said he is not aware of the
shortage of materials.
According to him, all the teething problems have been sorted out.
He claimed that the driver’s licence issued at their Utako office was a
temporary one which is expected to expire in 60 days time.
Meanwhile, our investigation has shown that FRSC don’t carry out
driving test to know if they know how to drive or not before issuing them with
driver’s licence. We also discovered that they are never short of materials in
the Utako office of the FRSC.
However, motorists have continued to point accusing fingers at the
FRSC for the delay in the issuance of the driver’s licence. A motorist, who
simply gave his name as Mike Oderinde asked, “Why is it that when you go and
renew your vehicle licence, it doesn’t take time? If renewal of vehicle licence
and other particulars were to be delayed like the driver’s licence that means
nobody will be driving by now. Even getting a vehicle licence is faster than
getting a driver’s licence.”
Mrs Grace Okechukwu said if truly, the FRSC is responsible for the
delay, they need to apply a sense of urgency and effectiveness in the issuance
of driving licence to its teeming customers. Unlike the Immigration Service
that issues the Nigerian passport within 24 hours, renewal of driving licence
takes minimum of five weeks. “Something should be done to improve on this.
Prompt issuance of licence could be a panacea for the faking of driving licence
by desperate users.”
However, the sore relationship between FRSC, and the Federal
Capital Territory, FCT DRTS seems to be responsible for the delay in the
issuance of driver’s licence. There is a subtle battle for supremacy between
the FRSC, and the Federal Capital Territory, FCT DRTS over who is in charge of
the driver’s licence and new plate numbers.
It took the intervention of the House of Representatives for the
responsibility to be shared. Before now, the DRTS was responsible for the
issuance of all particulars including driver’s licence even before the FRSC was
established but the FRSC claimed that they want a uniform driver’s licence
hence they took over the capturing. A staff of the VIO once confided in our
correspondent that the FRSC decided to be interested because of the money
involved in the operation.
The sore relationship has led to accusations and counter
accusation between the two agencies over who should be held accountable for
fake driver’s licence and number plates in circulation.
As if that is not enough, both agencies have given conflicting
signals over the terminal dates for the motoring public, especially driver’s
license carriers. While the FRSC, through the Corps Public Education Officer,
Jonas Agwu, insisted that come October 1st this year, “a new driver’s license
and vehicle plates number regime will be implemented.”
On its own, the FCT DRTS, speaking through the Public Relations
Officer, K.K. Iloduba Jnr, said that the September 31st deadline is only
applicable to the new vehicle number plates and not the driver’s licenses.
According to Mr. Agwu, he said that violators of the new policy
would be arrested and prosecuted accordingly, since adequate time was provided
for eligible Nigerians to do the needful.
Speaking earlier to our correspondent, the Corps’ image maker argued that the problem
with Nigerians was attitudinal, adding that rather than using the sample
provided now to engage the various processes, Nigerians were relying on proxies
as well as the last minute rush to beat the deadline.
He stated that the deadline would not be extended, but that those
who contravene the law will be dealt with. But in the view of the FCT Road
Traffic Services, the terminal date is exclusive of the National Driver’s
License.
The spokesman told our correspondent exclusively that “the deadline September 31st,
2013 is on plate numbers alone.”
For the National Driver’s License, Mr. Iloduba noted that it was
upon expiration of the present driver’s license that the newly approved policy
can take effect on those seeking the new document.
He, however, stated that all the necessary processes of obtaining
the new driver’s license, such as the driving test, the data capture, which is
handled by the FRSC, would be exhausted before a new national driver’s license
can be issued.
Whereas analysts are of the view that the conflicting reports and
the flexing of muscles by the two agencies may further jeopardise the exercise,
sources close to the House of Representatives disclosed that the lawmakers were
planning to approve a resolution to rationalise the exercise.
Analysts also believe that if the sore relationship between the
FRSC and DRTS is not urgently addressed, the motorists might end up be the
victims of circumstance as they might be at the receiving end. As it is said
the local parlance, “When two elephants fight, the grass suffers,” the
motorists in this situation is the motorist.
STEPS TO DRIVERS LICENCE RENEWAL/OBTAINING NEW DRIVER’S LICENCE
POSTED BY FEDERAL ROAD SAFETY CORPS, FRSC
STEP 1: Apply online at https://www.nigeriadriverslicence.org,
print out the form and bank teller or in person at Driver Licence Centre, DLC
Step 2: Pay the licence fee online or at the designated banks
Step 3: Present your form to the Board of Internal Revenue Officer
or VIO at the DLC for endorsement
Step 4: Proceed to the Federal Road Safety Corps Officer at the
DLC for Biometric Data Capturing
Step 5: You will be given a temporary drivers licence that is
valid for 60 days
OBTAINING NEW DRIVER’S LICENCE
Step 1: Attend training at accredited driving school
Step 2: The Driving school will present you to the VIO for driving
test
Step 3: Pass the driving test and the VIO will issue you a
Certificate of Proficiency
Step 4: Apply online at https://www.nigeriadriverslicence.org,
print out the form and bank teller or in person at Driver Licence Centre, DLC
Step 5: Pay the licence fee online or at the Designated Banks
Step 6: Present your form to the Board of internal Revenue Officer
or VIO at the DLC for endorsement
Step 7: Proceed to the Federal Road Safety Corps Officer at the
DLC for Biometric Data Capturing
Step 8: You will be given a temporary drivers licence that is
valid for 60 days.
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