By Love Wilhelmina Abanonave
The Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of the Driver and Vehicle Licensing Authority (DVLA), Julius Neequaye Kotey, has revealed that about five per cent of number plates in the system are fake, saying some of the problem involves corrupt practices at certain police stations.
“About 5 per cent of number plates in the system are fake, and there are several ways people acquire the fake plates by moving through police stations,” he said.
To tackle this, he announced on TV3’s Hot Issues on Sunday, January 25, that the DVLA is introducing new number plates with embedded Radio Frequency Identification (RFID) chips, which will make it harder for fake plates to go undetected.
The new number plates with RFID chips will enhance vehicle tracking, curb unregistered vehicles, and modernise road safety operations. The DVLA is also exploring integration with the toll collection system to ensure vehicles with fake number plates are easily identified.
Mr. Kotey also explained that some people obtain Licence B through backdoor channels, some involving DVLA staff—an issue he admitted exists—as well as “goro boys” who charge extra for the service. He stressed that this should not be the case, emphasising that drivers must follow the proper process: start with Licence B, hold it for two years, then move to Licence C, and two years later, upgrade to Licence D.
Mr. Kotey warned against using backdoor methods to obtain licences and number plates, urging Ghanaians to support the DVLA’s reform efforts.
