By Adnan Adams Mohammed
For years, the Driver and Vehicle Licensing Authority (DVLA) has been associated with long queues, tedious delays, and the persistent presence of unauthorized middlemen, colloquially known as “goro boys.”
Today, the narrative has drastically shifted. Under the leadership of Chief Executive Officer Mr. Julius Neequaye Kotey, the authority is undergoing a major technological and operational evolution that is reshaping public sector service delivery across the nation.
The rapid modernization characterized by 24-hour services, smart technology, and unprecedented revenue growth has caught international attention, earning the DVLA and its leader multiple prestigious continental awards for public sector innovation.
Dismantling the old system
When Mr. Kotey stepped into office, he inherited critical operational bottlenecks, including a staggering one-and-a-half-year backlog of driver’s licenses. By decentralizing operations and expanding the authority’s physical footprint with 10 new offices, the DVLA successfully cleared the backlog while restoring public trust.
Among the most impactful reforms has been the rollout of the 24-hour service pilot system, anchored by the Adentan office and the central Print Farm.
“Adenta has so far been fantastic. We’re now adding regional offices,” Mr. Kotey stated in an interview evaluating the program. “The Adenta DVLA office last year was the best office. It’s the best so far in terms of revenue generation and efficiency of work. We still do 24 hours at the Adenta office.”
Driving financial and strategic turnarounds
A critical cornerstone of the DVLA’s evolution has been the aggressive plug of revenue leakages. The introduction of the new DP (Driver from Port) sticker system at ports of entry revolutionized vehicle transit monitoring, moving the authority from processing just 2,000 aluminum plates a month to issuing over 15,000 secure stickers monthly.
According to leadership, this initiative single-handedly drove a 39% growth in revenue. However, the path to implementation required navigating intense pushback from legacy interests.
Addressing journalists at a recent press briefing in Accra marking his milestones, Mr. Kotey emphasized that the achievement belonged to the collective. “This effort is not a solo effort. These achievements are not solo achievements. They are the result of working in tandem, and that is what has moved the Authority forward,” he stated.
The next frontier: RFID plates and demerit systems
Looking ahead, the DVLA is set to deploy a wave of highly advanced technologies aimed at boosting road safety and national security. Chief among these is the implementation of new vehicle registration number plates embedded with advanced Radio Frequency Identification (RFID) technology to facilitate real-time tracking and verification.
Defending the modernization agenda amid legal and structural adjustments, Mr. Kotey explained the security imperative behind the transition. “There are many cars on our streets, but we have no information on them. Hence the main reasoning for the change in our number plates to RFID number plates,” he noted during a television broadcast.
The Authority’s immediate roadmap also features the highly anticipated launch of a digital Demerit Point System to penalize repeat traffic offenders, alongside cybersecurity upgrades, smart test-driving modules, and emission testing systems to safeguard environmental health.
Sweeping continental awards
The success of Ghana’s smart mobility transformation has resonated across the African continent. At the recent Africa Governments Summit and Public Sector Innovation Awards, Mr. Kotey was honored with both the Public Service Personality of the Year Award and the Outstanding CEO in State-Owned Enterprises Award. Concurrently, the DVLA secured the Public Sector Service Delivery Innovation Excellence Award for its strategic Public-Private Partnership (PPP) Ultra Service Centres.
Organizers of the summit commended Mr. Kotey for championing a vision that perfectly aligns with Africa’s wider digital public service agenda.
Upon receiving the honors, the DVLA boss deflected personal praise, dedicating the recognition to the state and his workforce. He noted that the awards serve as “encouragement to the Management and staff of the Authority to continue working diligently toward delivering efficient and excellent services to the Ghanaian public.”
