New DVLA office in Ada to ease vehicle registration, improve road safety

The Driver and Vehicle Licensing Authority (DVLA) has commissioned a new office at Kasseh in the Ada East District of the Greater Accra Region to bring vehicle registration and licensing services closer to residents.

The facility is expected to reduce the challenges residents face in travelling outside the district to access services such as vehicle registration, licence renewals and roadworthiness inspections.

The commissioning ceremony also provided an opportunity for the Authority to educate stakeholders on its proposed Radio Frequency Identification (RFID)-enabled smart number plates, designed to strengthen vehicle identification and address the growing problem of registration plate duplication.

Kwesi Bona Otuo-Srebour, Acting Director of Vehicle Inspection and Registration at the DVLA, said the current vehicle registration system had vulnerabilities that made it susceptible to the cloning of registration plates.

He said the introduction of RFID-enabled number plates would improve vehicle identification, enhance security, and make it more difficult for criminals to duplicate registration numbers.

“The new plates incorporate electronic identification technology that allows vehicle registration information to be verified digitally, supporting efforts to detect counterfeit plates and improve the tracking of vehicles,” he explained.

Deputy Chief Executive Officer of the DVLA in charge of Services, Foster Akwasi Asante, said the establishment of the office formed part of the Authority's efforts to decentralise its operations and improve access to services.

“The stress and the traffic discourage motor and vehicle drivers from registering,” he said, adding that the new office would provide services including vehicle registration, licence renewals and roadworthiness inspections, among other services, to residents of Ada and surrounding communities.

He explained that the proposed identification system would link vehicle registration data directly to registered owners and allow ownership records to be updated whenever vehicles changed hands.

Mr Asante added that the system would include mechanisms for detecting cloned registration plates, while the Authority also planned to introduce an electronic learning platform to refresh drivers' knowledge of road signs, traffic regulations and other road safety requirements.

Mr Mordzifa Tanihu Jerry John Foreigner Mills-Nkrumah, District Chief Executive for Ada West, welcomed the establishment of the office, describing it as a significant development that would make DVLA services more accessible to residents of the two Ada districts.

Kenneth Kabu Kofi Kanor, District Chief Executive for Ada East, said the project was made possible through the efforts of the area's Member of Parliament and assured the Authority of the Assembly's support to ensure the smooth operation of the facility.

Madam Comfort Doyoe Cudjoe-Ghansah, Member of Parliament for Ada, pledged to support the enrolment and renewal of licences for 100 drivers under the new system and the registration of 100 commercial motorcycle operators, popularly known as okada riders.

She also appealed to the DVLA to prioritise the recruitment of qualified residents of the area to create employment opportunities for the local population.