Who issues number plates for motorcycle operators?

Okada operators

Aderanti, CP Lagos State Command

.....as Police makes N200,000,00 weekly from Okada for issuing special number plates

By, Emeka Ibemere

Obviously, commercial motorcycle transport, called Okada in Nigeria has become a necessary mode in urban transportation. Their services have been termed a necessary evil due to its high propensity for crime and accidents it caused on the society.

 A cursory check by our correspondent has shown that about 80 per cent of the motorcycles did not have number plates, a situation which has made it difficult in tracing them in when there is trouble. Also considered is a huge amount of revenue that are lost yearly in such scams.

 “Section 5 of the Act of 2007 allows the Federal Road Safety commission to make regulations for carrying out the objectives of the Act.”

Contrary to the rulings of two Federal High Courts in Lagos and Abuja, an Anambra State High Court sitting in Awka once ruled that the issuance of new vehicle number plates and drivers licenses are the exclusive “legal” and “constitutional.” duties of the Federal Road Safety Commission, FRSC,.

The existing laws permitted the commission to impose the new number plates.

Section 5 of the Act of 2007 allows the commission, the Respondent, to make regulations for carrying out the objectives of the Act. The Act of 2007 specifically allows the FRSC to make regulation with regard to the designing and producing of drivers’ licences, and vehicle number plates to be used by various categories of vehicles and commercial motorcycles.

In obtaining vehicle and commercial number plate’s documents are required for registration of the brand of the new vehicle or commercial motorcycle.

According to investigations attestation letter from the company or person of purchase is needed and the receipt of purchase and Invoice, delivery note from the company of purchase and Passport photograph of the vehicle or commercial owners. Others are motor Vehicle Duty Certificate (Book C.191/FormC191) (Custom Card) to be submitted later for clearing and other stringent conditions lined out before a plate number for motorcycles and vehicles could be obtained.

The last lap of it was the police confirmation and endorsement after the completion of the Forms. It was gathered that the registration officer would forward them to the police officer attached to the licensing office to append his/her signature on the allocation form after verifying and satisfied with the documents along with the vehicle or motorcycles brought for registration.

A lady license officer at Ikeja license office, who declined to give out her name told our correspondent that this was to ensure that the vehicle or motorcycle under registration satisfies all the existing laws binding motor vehicle and motorcycle registration and that the vehicle to be registered is risk free.

She added that issuance of number plates would now follow upon receipt of the police endorsed document, the registration officer then process for payment based on the type and capacity of vehicle or motorcycles.

Standard plate numbers go for N5, 000, Weighing Reg. 2,500.00-5,000.00.

FRSC announced a deadline of August 2012 for Nigerian drivers and motorcycle riders to obtain the new driving license and number plates that was commissioned by President Goodluck Jonathan at the FRSC headquarters in Abuja.

The upgraded license and plate numbers are according to FRSC are interlinked and will, henceforth, be connected to each individual, in order to help the FRSC track all road offences and monitor the driving behaviour of all vehicle owners.

The then Corps Marshal, Mr. Osita Chidoka said the need was to improve the driving licence and plate number to meet international standards.

The new initiative, he revealed, was meant to alter the culture of recklessness displayed by drivers, their impunity and lack of consideration for other road users.

Regarding the new license and plates, Chidoka, said they are part of a credible database which will make it easy to retrieve all information connected to every car and motorcycle owners through the license and the plate number.

Chidoka also said the overriding objectives of the new driver’s licence and number plates were to restore the integrity of the country’s driving licence.

Chidoka said: “One of the critical ingredients of this initiative is that we are going to have a credible database of drivers and vehicles including motorcycles in Nigeria”.

He advised drivers and car owners to change to the new license and name plates which cost 6000 and N15000 each immediately, to avoid sanctions that would be accompanied with a breach, and ensure they are safely within the new regime before the then 12 months deadline. However, on payment of the fees, the issued number plate would then be handed over to the applicant.

But these steps are ignored at the Ajao Estate along Airport Road Oshodi/Isolo Local Government Area, of Lagos State by the Divisional Police Officer DPO and his rank and files. Here, police at Ajao issue motorcycle operators’ special number plates and discarded the official plate number met for Okada.

Investigations by our correspondent showed that officers of the division issued about 80 percent motorcycle operators plying Ajao Estate to the end of the January 27 bomb blast link bridge road to Aswani and from 7/8 bus stop and Junction bus stop all to the end of the bridge.

It was also gathered that each Okada operator delivers N2000, per day for using the ‘special number plates’, designed for them by the police officers. Such plate numbers are ‘Oga DO’, ‘NAS’, and others. Investors in motorcycle business are alleged to acquire motorcycles and getting the numbers for their bikes after paying money to police, there by denying the Lagos State government their accrued revenue from licensing and plate numbers.

Majority of the bikes plying the routes have no numbers except the ones giving to them by the police. An Okada operator, Musa Damina told Newswatch Times that any bike without special number plates are liable for N10,000, fine if arrested and may be taking to Alausa, Ikeja. Also, it was discovered that on acquiring the special number plates, such operator cannot be arrested by any police office.

“The plate number is a cover from arrest; hence you pay your N2000, daily and with the special plate number”, Abubakar Audu, who uses one plate number with an inscription-‘Oga DO’ stated. Ajao Estate police Division, seems to have hijacked the responsibility of the FRSC, by issuing plate numbers and denying governments their revenue while smiling to their different banks but the danger in it are that such okada without plate numbers cannot be tracked down in case of crime.