Extortion galore at Koforidua DVLA

The Eastern Regional Minister, Samuel Ofosu Ampofo has cautioned workers of the Driver Vehicle and Licensing Authority (DVLA) to stop extorting money from drivers and car owners before discharging their constitutional duties. According to the Minister, available evidence indicates that most drivers after paying a paltry sum of GH¢6.00 escape eye testing, warning that the practice was unacceptable and must be stopped.

He also warned the officials of DVLA to immediately stop the engagement of illegal contractors who collect unspecified amounts of money from vehicle owners and drivers to fast track their registration and licensing processes.

Mr. Samuel Ofosu Ampofo was speaking at the 10th Anniversary celebration of the DVLA in Koforidua last Monday. According to him, the DVLA has to play its statutory role diligently and with transparency to ensure that vehicles are road-worthy before registration.

Drivers must also undergo proper driving test and rigorous eye test before issuing them with license.

The Minister also charged the National Road Safety Commission (NRSC) to intensify its education on road safety to ensure that road users become more responsible for their own safety.

He mentioned driver fatigue, drink-driving, wrongful overtaking, poor understanding of road signs, reckless driving and issuing of driving license to unqualified persons, as some of the major causes of road accidents in the country.

Drivers in the region, particularly Koforidua, boycotted the celebration which was under the theme - “Road Safety -a Shared and Collective Responsibility”.

It was co-organized by the DVLA and National Road Safety Commission (NRSC).”It is very unfortunate that drivers in the region, particularly Koforidua, who are supposed to be here since they are major actors in the sector are not around”, the DVLA regional boss noted.

He appealed to the police to ensure that drivers attend such programme in future to ensure safety on our roads.

He also implored on the authorities of the NRSC and officers from the Motor Traffic and Transport Unit (MTTU) of the Police Service to intensify and ensure that drivers complied with the highway codes.

Even though he accepted the fact that their commitment as agencies to curb the rampant road crashes in the country has not yielded any fruits, he disclosed that with hard work and perseverance the issues of road crashes would be a thing of the past.