A/R: Mad Rush For 2020 Number Plates

Vehicle owners have begun flooding offices of the Drivers and Vehicle Licensing Authority (DVLA) across the country to secure the 2020 number plates.

The yearly ritual which is usually characterised by the mad rush to obtain vehicle number plates following the arrival of a new year makes the premises of the DVLA at its branches across the country busy.

Registered and unregistered vehicles are usually lined up at the offices of the DVLA with some owners joining long queues to register their new vehicles and others renewing their roadworthy certificates.

The DVLA has introduced a new Vehicle Registration System (VRS) to enhance its operations.

The new system will among other things help prevent duplication of number plates of different vehicles.

The DVLA has also introduced new prefixes for number plates in specific areas of the country.

At the Kumasi office of the DVLA for instance, some vehicle owners who spoke to Citi News said they were at the premises as early as 4 am on Thursday to have their vehicles registered, but the long queues have caused them to wait for a long time.

“I am here to have my vehicle registered. I have been here since 4 am and it is almost midday and I have not been able to go through the process yet. I have not been called yet and I don’t know if I will be able to go through”, one of the vehicle owners said.

Others also believe that the introduction of the digitized system by the DVLA is commendable and will help vehicle owners.

“The digitized registration system will help us than the previous one which was manual. There is now a digital address system and even the registration of the Ghana Card is also digital. So, if it is being introduced at the DVLA, I think it will help”, another vehicle owner said.

Officials at the Kumasi office of the DVLA said they are working to ensure the huge numbers of vehicle owners trooping to have their vehicles registered are all served.

Ashanti Regional Head of the DVLA, George Afful told Citi News that his outfit was aware of the huge numbers of vehicle owners that were coming in and the officers were working hard to ensure they are all served.

The activities of middlemen popularly called ‘Goro Boys’ continue to be an issue for the DVLA.

Mr Afful urged the public and other vehicle owners to deal strictly with DVLA officers who can be identified in order not to be victims.

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