The Senate says the Federal Road Safety Commission (FRSC) Corps Marshal, Osita Chidoka, may lose his job for failing to remit the money generated from the new number plates and driver's licence to the federation account. Querying Chidoka over the "exorbitant" charges for both items, the Senate Committee on Federal Character and Intergovernmental Affairs at its public hearing in Abuja yesterday accused Chidoka of violating section 162 of the 1999 constitution and section 8(2) of the FRSC Act mandating the commission "to remit all the monies generated into the federation account within 24 hours."
"This is an impeachable offence, even for the executive arm of government," the committee added. A member of the committee, Senator Kabiru Marafa (ANPP, Zamfara Central), said, "You have misled the government by bringing the issue of property, rather than life safety, to the fore. Don't you think it would have been better if you had mandated Nigerians to use N15, 000 to put their vehicles in proper shape than making them to spend it on number plates? And I know Nigerians are paying more than N15, 000 for number plates."
Earlier, Chidoka noted that it cost the commission N3, 000 and N7, 590 to produce a driver's licence and number plate respectively, saying the states were selling the items for N6,000 and N15,000.
He also told the committee that the Office of the Accountant-General of the Federation permitted his commission to remit its revenue at a later date, adding that the commission remitted N1.4 billion generated last year into the federation account.
"It has never been possible to remit money to the federation account within 24 hours because we don't even know how much money we receive in 24 hours. It is the National Assembly's work to help us look at the law and review it," he said.
The chairman of the Committee, Senator Dahiru Awaisu Kuta (PDP, Niger East) said "Whatever the problem is, there is a law mandating you to remit the money generated into the federation account within 24 hours."
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Daily Trust