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Director, FCT Department of Road Transport Services (DRTS), Major Musa Argungu (rtd), has denied claims by motorists in the FCT that the department is hoarding vehicle number plates.
Argungu was reacting to allegations by motorists who had applied for the number plates, that some staff members of the directorate were hoarding the number plates to cause artificial scarcity, so that they could get financial inducement from those who needed them urgently.
Recall that thousands of applicants stormed the DRTS headquarters in Mabushi, demanding the unconditional release of vehicle number plates to all eligible applicants.
The protesters alleged that the vehicle number plates were often sold beyond the official rate to desperate applicants as a result of the artificial scarcity, stressing that some of the applications had been lying in the office unattended to for over six months.
The director dismissed the protest as a mere attempt by some applicants to attract unnecessary sympathy from the public, pointing out there was no time the DRTS covertly or overtly, hoarded vehicle number plates from eligible applicants.
“As soon as we receive the number plates from the Federal Road Safety Commission, (FRSC), we issue same applicants on the basis of first come first serve,” he added.
Argungu maintained that at least 600 number plates were issued on Monday July 4, 2011, to applicants, even as he noted that DRTS was not mandated by the law to produce vehicle number plates.
The director further stated that issuance of vehicle number plates was one of the avenues through which the directorate generates funds for the government, stressing that it would be ridiculous for any officer to hoard such items from genuine applicants.
He however advised applicants with genuine proof of corruption against any of the directorate’s staff to approach him with such claim, assuring that such officers would be shown the way out, in line with the present FCT administration’s stance on zero tolerance for corruption.
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