AKHA Orders Arrest, Prosecution Of Users Of Fake Number Plates

Rt. Hon Nse Essien 

By Ifiok ITIABA - Uyo 

Akwa Ibom State House of Assembly has passed a resolution mandating the Akwa Ibom State Commissioner of Police, Director, Department of State Services, Federal Road Safety Commission and related security agencies, to arrest and prosecute owners or users of fake and unauthorised official number plates in Akwa Ibom State, from November 30, 2019. 

This was part of the resolution sought by the member representing Onna State Constituency, Rt. Hon. Nse Essien during Tuesday's plenary.

Presenting the motion before the House, Essien noted that huge amounts were being lost yearly, by the state, due to the increased use of pirated number plate numbers by thousands of privately-owned vehicles in the state. 

Essien who is the Deputy Chief Whip of the House, said there were also hundreds of official number plates used on vehicles purporting to be genuine vehicles of members of the Akwa Ibom State House of Assembly and added that such number plates are not captured in the database of relevant authorities and could therefore be used for criminal activities.

He noted that there has been an increase in the use of fake and unauthorised number plates by some motorists in Akwa Ibom State and said the act constitutes forgery and also robs the state of the much needed revenue, as vehicles using fake plates numbers are not periodically renewed as required by law. 

Contributing on the motion, the Member representing Nsit Atai State Constituency, Rt. Hon. Mark Esset, stressed on the need to put a stop to the ugly trend so as to check the various crimes committed by those using fake plate numbers. 

Also speaking, the Member representing Ibesikpo Asutan State Constituency, Rt. Hon. Aniekan Uko, said the situation was worrisome and urged security agencies to clamp down on those using fake plates numbers.

In his remarks, the Speaker of the House, Rt. Hon. Aniekan Bassey, revealed that new number plates have been designed for Members of the 7th House of Assembly and stressed that persons using fake and unauthorised number plates purportedly from the House, will be made to face the full weight of the law. 

He also directed the Ministry of Information and Ethical and Attitudinal Reorientation Commission, to educate and enlighten members of the public on authorised use of number plates in the state and directed the Clerk of the House to communicate the resolution of the House to the appropriate authorities.