The Driver and Vehicle Licensing Authority (DVLA), says only 61 per cent of drivers in the country are lawfully licensed and 60 per cent of vehicles on the road do not go through proper vehicle testing procedures.
Chief Executive Agyeman Busia, the Chief observes the situation was created by lack of robust licensing and registration regime as well as compromised road worthy certificates resulting in uncertified drivers and vehicles on the road, posing a threat to the national security.
In addition, he said, the act of middle-men popularly called the “Goro Boys†had compromised the driver licensing administration, therefore, the new Smart Drivers Licence and Smart Vehicle Registration Card would help eliminate the fake driving documents from the system.
Mr Busia was speaking at the launch of the new Smart Drivers Licence and Smart Vehicle Registration Card, developed by the DVLA in Accra under the theme: “Transforming Driver and Licensing through People, Processes and Technologyâ€.
The new smart vehicle registration card and drivers’ licence have enhanced security features such as Transport Identification Number (TIN), which would enable the DVLA to authenticate the identity of users.
Applicants can also apply online after which they would be given a date for testing and this will eliminate the middle-men popularly called the “Goro Boys†from the system.
Mrs May Obiri-Yeboah, the Executive Director of the National Road Safety Commission (NRSC), entreated the DVLA to eliminate all administrative bottlenecks in the new licensing and registration regime in order to ensure effective delivery of services to the public.
She gave the assurance that the NRSC would support the DVLA in sensitising the public on the new products saying road safety was a shared and collective responsibility.
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