Motorists and transport stakeholders in the Federal Capital Territory have dismissed claims of a scarcity of vehicle number plates in Abuja, describing recent allegations of racketeering within the Directorate of Road Traffic Services as unfounded.
They maintained that the allocation of number plates had improved significantly in recent months, insisting that motorists could now obtain multiple number plates without the delays previously experienced.
The position was made known by the Custodian of the Transport Stakeholders Roundtable in the FCT, Chukwuemeka Linus, while reacting to a publication alleging that racketeering had worsened the shortage of number plates in the territory.
Linus described the report as “fallacious”, saying it did not reflect the current reality.
He said, “A lot of my friends picked between 10 and 40 number plates per person, unlike before when it was difficult to get even one. So, where is the racketeering?”
He argued that portraying the situation as a crisis was misleading, adding that the publication relied on a general reference to motorists without presenting verifiable evidence.
According to him, following the court order restraining DRTS officials from carrying out road enforcement operations, the issuance of number plates has become one of the few sources of revenue available to some officials outside their salaries.
He said this development had fuelled misconceptions about the availability of number plates.
Linus, however, appealed to the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory to establish a number plate production plant in Abuja to ensure a steady supply and meet the growing demand.
He said, “What we are appealing for is the establishment of a production plant for number plates in the FCT. That will permanently address supply concerns and improve service delivery.”
The transport stakeholder expressed confidence that local production would strengthen the vehicle registration process and eliminate recurring concerns over the availability of number plates.