The Executive Chairman, Edo State Internal Revenue Service (EIRS) Igbinidu Inneh has stated that the revenue agency is ready to deepen the existing partnership it has with the Federal Road Safety Corp (FRSC) in ensuring safer roads for motorist and the society at large.
He gave the assurance when he received the Edo State Sector Commander, Anthony Oko who was on a courtesy visit at the EIRS Revenue House to brief the revenue boss on plans by the FRSC to carry out number plate and rider’s license enforcement exercise on tricycles and motorcycles in the State.
Inneh said the much awaited enforcement exercise, is a welcome development that will identify and better organize the tricycle and motorcycle operators which naturally has implications like security of passengers and the residents in areas of operations positively.
Aside identification benefit, the revenue boss noted that the planned exercise, will give a high sense of protection to other road users as well as tricycles and motorcycles owners from total loss in the eventuality of theft or accidents when there is a valid and authentic insurance cover.
He expressed his optimism saying “that through the exercise, the EIRS will be enriched with useful data for its current and future operations which will further translate to social-economic benefits such as health and safety intervention programmes of government.”
Inneh informed that the Revenue Service has taken certain measures by placing orders on number plates to prevent an upsurge of demand. He appealed to the FRSC Sector Commander to ensure the timely supply of number plates for the exercise in the State.
Earlier, the Edo State Sector Commander of the Federal Road Safety Corp (FRSC), Anthony Oko said the reason for the planned enforcement is based on the heightened security challenges observed in the country to the extent that hoodlums now use tricycles and motorcycles without proper registration and identification to committing various heinous crimes.
According to him: “The menace are on the increase. Hoodlums and miscreants are using this vehicles to commit various heinous crimes such as kidnapping, stealing and armed robbery attack without trace thereby make arrest difficult. These hoodlums don’t also have valid identity but display fake documents such as rider’s license, vehicle particulars and private number plates instead of the approved commercial category.”
The Sector Commander further informed the EIRS boss, that those in this sector who do not engage in criminal activities, but go about their business without proper documentation and identification, deny government the needed revenue for development by operating in contrast to the law without being apprehended and sanctioned.
He added that the FRSC had met and equally sensitized other stakeholders, security agencies and the general public in preparation for the nationwide enforcement exercise scheduled for 1st August, 2019 noting that the items to be enforced during the exercise are the number plate and rider’s license.