Driver and Vehicle Licensing Authority Chief Executive Officer Julius Neequaye Kotey has come under intense social media criticism following reports that the Authority intends to dispatch staff to five countries to provide driver licensing services to Ghanaians living abroad.
Speaking at a recent event organised by the DVLA, Kotey disclosed that the initiative had received approval from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs. According to him, the programme is designed to allow members of the Ghanaian diaspora to renew their driver’s licences without having to travel back to Ghana.
“Some of you DVLA staff will be travelling overseas to provide services in five countries outside Ghana — the US, Canada, the Netherlands, the UK and Germany. That is the service we are going to provide,” he said.
Kotey explained that the Authority will deliver all licensing services in those countries, with the exception of vehicle registration.
“We got approval from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, and this is what we are going to do for our Ghanaians staying abroad. They don’t need to come down to renew their one-year licences once they expire. We’ll be there to do it for them. We will provide all licensing services over there, except vehicle registration,” he added.
However, the announcement has sparked widespread opposition, with critics questioning the necessity and cost-effectiveness of the move. Some argue that many Ghanaians living abroad do not rely on Ghanaian driver’s licences once resident overseas, suggesting the exercise could amount to a misuse of public funds.
Others contend that resources would be better spent improving services at local DVLA offices across Ghana.
Notable public figures have also voiced concern. Investigative journalist Manasseh Azure Awuni, lawyer Oliver Barker-Vormawor, and Constitutional Review Committee Chairman Kwasi Prempeh have all expressed dissatisfaction with the plan.
In a Facebook post dated February 25, 2025, Barker-Vormawor warned that the initiative bears the hallmarks of a potential scandal.
“Abort! Abort! Abort! This just smells like an upcoming scandal. When it looks like a scandal, sounds like a scandal, it will be a scandal,” he wrote.
Awuni also questioned the rationale behind the programme, posting: “How? I mean, how could anyone come up with this?”
The DVLA has yet to respond directly to the criticisms, but the debate continues to gain traction online.
