Fake documents main challenge of DVLA

Accra, Aug. 3, GNA - An average of three vehicles are arrested daily with fictitious registration documents at the Driver and Vehicle Licensing Authority (DVLA), Mr Joe Osei-Owusu, Chief Executive of the Authority said on Wednesday.

Speaking during a working visit of the Minister of Public Sector Reforms, Dr Paa Kwesi Ndoum, he said faking of vehicle licensing and testing documents was one of the biggest challenges facing the Authority.

He said affected vehicles were usually those brought into the country disguised by owners as transit ones in order to avoid the payment of custom duties and for which they later obtained fake registration documents.

"Most of these people believing that they have genuine documents come to renew them only to realise that they are fake," he said. The DVLA is among the 20 Ministries, Departments and Agencies, which are implementing a service delivery improvement project aimed to enhance their services.

Mr Osei-Owusu said to stem the problem of fictitious documents the DVLA was embarking on a project to reduce the contact between its staff and the public, especially licensing contractors, during processing of documents.

Besides there are also plans to open two new offices in Accra to reduce the congestion at the main office.

"The best way to get around the problem is to enhance the security features on the documents to forestall easy duplication through procurement of modern gadgets," he emphasised.

Mr Osei-Owusu called for effective collaboration between the Police and the DVLA to eliminate the contractors.

Dr Ndoum expressed dissatisfaction about the activities of the licensing contractors, who took money to deliver documents to unqualified drivers and vehicle owners, saying the result was the increasing number of accidents on the roads.

He urged the DVLA to step up its customer service delivery and pledged Government's commitment to assist with resources and training. Dr Ndoum said the essence of the public sector reforms was to create proper working conditions in the public service through provision of equipment and other tools to enhance service delivery to the public. Mr Magnus Opare-Asamoah, Deputy Minister of Road Transport, said through the reforms, avenues used by others to get round laid down regulations would be sealed.

He expressed the hope that decentralisation of services would reduce congestion and reduce the activities of licensing contractors.