Federal Road Safety Corps (FRSC) says it will submit a proposal to the Joint Task Board of the commission for a review of the drivers licence fees due to exchange rate.
Dr Boboye Oyeyemi, the Corps Marshal made this known on Wednesday at the capacity building workshop for Sector Heads of Drivers License Centres in Abuja.
Oyeyemi said that the review was necessitated by the prevailing foreign exchange and capacity; hence the corps was considering forwarding a submission for the price review because the system could not continue running this way.
He said that since the introduction of the national drivers licence, it had undergone different metamorphosis.
“It went from the national drivers’ license to enhanced drivers license to customised drivers license to what we have today,’’ he said.
The corps marshal said that the road task made it compulsory for all drivers to either renew their licenses or go for the fresh ones.
He said that with the joint task board decision, the validity had been increased from three to five years with options of either renewing for three years with N6, 350 or five years with 10, 350 respectively.
“FRSC is considering forwarding a proposal to the Joint Task Board to consider marginal increase in the cost of drivers’ license because the prices of materials being used have gone up.
“This current price has been on for the past six years and when this scheme started, the exchange rate was N150 to a dollar now dollar’s official rate is over N300.
“This is about a hundred per cent increase; so you will agree with me that there is no way the price regime can be sustained because of the prevailing exchange rate.
“So a review of the prices is necessary; the corps is not increasing the price but forwarding a proposal to consider a marginal increase to be able to meet the operating cost,’’ he said.
Oyeyemi said that the review would not be instantaneous as there were processes involved.
He said that once the joint task board considered and approved the proposal, it would go to the states since it was their responsibility to distribute “as FRSC only produces for the states’’.
The corps marshal said that work stations were being opened up for effective coverage of the nation, adding that before the end of November, 12 work stations would be added.
He said that this would raise the current number from 201 to 288 from now till March 2017.
He said that the workshop with the theme: “Upholding the security and integrity of the National Driver’s License’’ was apt as it would afford the commission the opportunity to discuss on the integrity of the drivers.
“I am not claiming that we are running at hundred per cent perfection, thus the essence of the workshop is to assure the public that we will continue to strive for excellence.
“And with the change mantra, I strongly believe that it is time for attitudinal change for those indulging in violating procedures.
“And to remove them, punish them and replace them with good and upright ones,’’ he said.
