By Sarah Baafi
The Chief Executive of the Driver and Vehicle Licensing Authority (DVLA), Julius Neequaye Kotey, has defended plans by the Authority to establish a healthcare facility for drivers, describing the initiative as necessary and long overdue despite public criticism.
Speaking in an interview on Eyewitness News on Citi FM on Friday, January 23, Mr. Kotey addressed concerns from critics who argue that healthcare provision falls outside the DVLA’s core mandate.
According to him, several state institutions whose primary responsibilities are unrelated to healthcare nonetheless operate medical facilities to serve their workers and stakeholders.
“If you go to the streets, healthcare is not their mandate. DVLA—what are they supposed to do? Vehicle licensing,” he said. “Yet the Electricity Company has a healthcare centre, Tema Harbour has one, COCOBOD has one, the military has healthcare facilities, and the Ghana Police Service also has healthcare facilities.”
Mr. Kotey questioned why drivers, who play a critical role in the country’s transport system, should be denied access to a dedicated medical facility.
“So why can’t we concentrate on our drivers and also provide them with a decent healthcare facility?” he asked.
He revealed that the DVLA has already received strong interest from investors, with more than ten indicating readiness to partner in establishing the facility.
“We are calling on investors to come in, and trust me, so far, more than ten investors are already on board. Just yesterday, about five came to the office expressing interest,” he disclosed.
Mr. Kotey explained that the project will be executed under a Build, Operate and Transfer (BOT) arrangement, where private investors will construct and manage the facility for an agreed period before handing it over to the DVLA.
“We are now putting together our terms and conditions. The CEO will write, and then we will sit down to review them. We want to do it on a BOT basis,” he stated.
The DVLA boss emphasized that the proposed hospital will focus primarily on orthopedic care, addressing health conditions commonly associated with long hours of driving, such as back and bone-related problems. The facility is also expected to serve as a referral centre for accident victims.
“Drivers sit for long hours back problems, bone issues, and related conditions and the facility will also serve as a referral centre,” he noted.
He added that the hospital will not only cater for drivers but will also be accessible to their spouses through insurance arrangements, as part of broader efforts to improve the welfare of drivers and their families.
Mr. Kotey described the initiative as a legacy project aimed at improving healthcare access within the transport sector, stressing that accidents and health emergencies are unpredictable and must be planned for.
“We are not praying for accidents, and we don’t pray for death, but accidents can happen. We need a healthcare facility so our drivers can feel comfortable,” he said.
