The House of Representatives has resolved to beam its searchlight on the Federal Road Safety Commission (FRSC) on issues relating to the remittance of monies generated from the issuance of drivers’ licenses across the country within the past three years.

The decision followed the adoption of a motion sponsored by Afam Ogene at the plenary session of the House on Wednesday, presided over by Speaker Abass Tajudeen.

In effect, the House referred the issue to the House Committee on FRSC to probe into the matter and report back within four weeks for legislative action.

Afam claimed he was privy to information that the FRSC is alleged to use its Information Processing Centre (IPC) for warehousing data for drivers’ licenses and manipulating it to sideline and shortchange the State Boards of Internal Revenue (BIR) and the Vehicle Inspection Office (VIO) in the collection and usage of fees for processing drivers’ licenses.

He further expressed concern that the FRSC is reportedly controlling receiving accounts for driver’s license fees, including those from Driving School Certification and Driving History Applications meant for foreign travel applications.

The yearly revenue generated from chargeable fees, which amounts to hundreds of billions of naira, is also allegedly unaccounted for by the Vehicle Inspection Office and various State Boards of Internal Revenue.

Saying he is wary of the tripartite arrangement between the FRSC, the BIR, and the VIO leading to the issuance or renewal of a driver’s license, he added that it is disturbing that the processing of drivers’ licenses is unexplainably being delayed for upwards of two to three years after the biometric data capturing of applicants.

The Anambra-born lawmaker said he is also disturbed that the huge debts the FRSC owes Galaxy Backbone Ltd. and other system consultants, who are the network providers and maintainers of the biometrics data capturing system, are responsible for the system slowdown and the resultant long delay in the issuance of driver’s licenses.

He stressed the need to clearly ascertain which public agency has the legal responsibility of designing, producing, and issuing a driver’s license.