The Driver and Vehicle Licensing Authority has backtracked on its plan to send staff overseas to offer licensing services, citing public backlash and concerns over unnecessary expenditure. The authority had initially announced plans to deploy staff to five countries, including the United States, Canada, Germany, the Netherlands, and the United Kingdom, to provide services such as international driver’s permits and license renewals to Ghanaians living abroad.
According to the DVLA, the decision to scrap the plan was made after intense public criticism, with critics arguing that many Ghanaians abroad do not require Ghanaian driver’s licenses and that the exercise could result in unnecessary public expenditure. The authority has instead opted to explore alternative options to ensure its services remain accessible to all Ghanaians outside the country.
The DVLA has clarified that it will collaborate with Ghana’s diplomatic missions to provide selected services to qualified Ghanaian citizens abroad. Embassy staff will be trained to verify applicants’ documents before forwarding them to Ghana for processing. The processed documents will then be returned to the respective missions for collection by applicants.
“This operation does not in any way mean that the DVLA would post its domestic staff to work at Embassies in the aforementioned countries,” the DVLA stated, emphasizing that the initiative aims to improve access to services for Ghanaians living outside the country.
The DVLA’s decision to scrap the plan is seen as a victory for accountability and transparency, with many Ghanaians praising the authority for listening to public concerns. The authority has reiterated its commitment to serving the interest of Ghanaians and has urged the public and media to seek clarification from its Corporate Affairs Department to avoid misinformation.
The DVLA’s move is part of its broader reform agenda, focused on decentralizing and digitizing services to improve compliance and reduce defaults.
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Author: Korkor Anumu
