Katsina State Government denies claims of inadequate vehicle number plates

The Katsina State Government has rejected claims of a shortage of vehicle number plates in the state, following a social media post that suggested the issue was affecting revenue generation.

Alhaji Isyaku Mohammed, the Executive Chairman of the Katsina State Internal Revenue Service (KT-IRS), made the clarification during a briefing with journalists in Katsina on Monday.

The claims, which circulated on social media, alleged that the Katsina State Road Traffic Agency (KASROTA) was unfairly penalizing residents for not using number plates, despite the supposed lack of availability.

Reacting to the allegations, Mohammed emphasized that KASROTA officials were simply enforcing the regulation that all vehicles and motorcycles must display number plates on the roads. He stated, “We have number plates in the state.

The issue of saying we don’t have does not even arise.”

In addressing the impact on revenue generation, Mohammed highlighted that between December 1, 2023, and December 30, 2024, the state had generated over N20.8 billion in Internally Generated Revenue (IGR) through PAYdirect payments by banks.

This represents a significant increase compared to the previous year, when only N9 billion was collected during the same period in 2023.

The executive chairman also provided detailed information on the availability of number plates in the state, including 1,444 private vehicle plates, 228 for government vehicles, and 214 for government motorcycles.

Additionally, there were 1,886 number plates issued for commercial vehicles, and 24 for motor vehicle dealers.

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He further revealed that since August 2024, the state had deposited N45 million with the Federal Road Safety Corps (FRSC) in preparation for additional motorcycle number plates.

Mohammed explained that the shortage of motorcycle number plates was a nationwide issue, stemming from the lack of resources at the FRSC to produce the plates.

He also noted that Governor Dikko Radda had reduced the cost of number plates by 50% in September 2023, but despite this, there was low demand.

Addressing concerns about potential corruption, Mohammed cautioned that anyone using the alleged shortage of number plates as an excuse to break the law would face penalties. He also acknowledged ongoing efforts to combat corruption within the IRS, stating, “We have been pursuing people in the IRS who have tampered with the money of the revenue service, and we expected corruption to fight back.”

The statement from the Katsina State Government serves to clarify the situation, assuring the public that number plates are available, and the enforcement of traffic regulations will continue.