A Federal High court sitting at Awka in Anambra state has declared that the Federal Road Safety Commission has legal powers to make regulations regarding the design and production of the new vehicle number plate and driver’s license in addition to the registration of vehicles.
This judgement formed part of verdict by Hon. Justice Peter Umeadi in a suit filed by one Chief Ajefo Ekwo to challenge the constitutional powers of the Federal Road Safety Commission to enforce compliance by all motorists of its directive for the re-registration of motor vehicles previously registered, by obtaining and replacing same with the new vehicle number plates.
According to the Chief Judge , “ I see that the six issues for determination distilled by the respondent (FRSC) flow from the eight reliefs of the applicant (Chief Ajefo Ekwo). The relief no.1 tend to suggest that it was the respondent who came up with the idea to register vehicles by obtaining ad replacing the old number plates with new number plates”.
Reacting to this relief, Justice Umeadi said “that could not be correct. The powers for such a directive emanated from the National Road Traffic Regulation (NRTR) 2012. Section 36 of the regulations of 2012 stipulate as follows “ All private and commercial vehicle shall from the commencement of these Regulations have in them Vehicle Identification Number Plates which shall (a) be carried by the motor vehicle on two plates which shall conform to the requirements of these Regulations and (b) the number plates shall be fixed (i) in such a manner that each is not easily detachable and (ii) in an upright position or within 15 degrees of such position”.
Is FRSC a profit making agency now?
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