The new drivers license approved for Nigerians by the federal government has become a source of income for government officials even as Nigerian continue to groan in their quest to obtain the instrument. Investigation by our reporters showed that Nigerians who have been driving for decades are not excluded in the agonising treatment just to renew their license.
For instance, drivers are now required to undergo eight straight tests to get the instrument renewed which is often not available in a period of 12 months due to what officials describe as scarcity of materials. For renewal, a driver is expected to go through eight tests, one and two is classified as acuity far, test 3 is colour identification, 4 is sign recognition and depth perception, 5 and 6 is acuity far, 7 is heterophorias far, while 8 is classified as vertical phoria.
Our reporter who was at the old secretariat, GRA, Lagos (old passport office) to obtain his license was surprised that officials of the Vehicle Inspection Service (VIS) have turned the exercise into a money making venture extorting money at will from Nigerians. You are required to pay as much as N2,000 to process your files.
Our correspondent reported that many who had gone to the office to submit their forms were given up to June 2014 to appear for photo-capture where they are not forth coming with the N2,000, while those who are able to pay the money are allowed to appear for photo session in matter of weeks.
We gathered that the situation has become so precarious that many have resulted to patronising unauthorised agents for counterfeit. Do you have similar experience, share it with us now for publishing.
