The Minister in a group shot with some Board Members
The Minister for Transport, Kwaku Ofori Asiamah, has inaugurated the reconstituted boards of the Driver and Vehicle Licensing Authority (DVLA) and Ghana Maritime Authority (GMA) at a ceremony held at the conference room of the Ministry of Roads and Highways in Accra.
The reconstitution of the boards is to provide policy direction and guide management to effectively and efficiently run their respective institutions as required by the State.
The GMA, according to the Minister, was established by the GMA Law, (Act 630, 2002) with the responsibility of regulating, monitoring and coordinating activities in the Maritime industry in Ghana.
It is also mandated to ensure Maritime Safety and Security Administration, Maritime Environment Protection, Regulation of Inland Waterways transportation and ensuring efficient and cost-effective provision of shipping services, among others.
Highlighting a brief background to the establishment of the Driver and Vehicle Licensing Authority (DVLA), the minister indicated that it was established by Act 569 of 1999 and is responsible for ensuring safety on our roads.
He mentioned other duties as ensuring standards and methods for the training and testing of driving instructors and drivers of motor vehicles and riders of motor cycles and licensing and regulation of private garages to undertake vehicle testing, among others.
Chairman for the reconstituted GMA Board is Robert Kingsford Kutin, Managing Director of Allship Logistics.
The members are Kwame Owusu, Director-General, GMA; Real Admiral Peter Kofi Faido; John Pwanmang, Acting Executive Director, Environmental Protection Agency (EPA); Esther Gyebi-Donkor, Acting General Manager, Marketing and Corporate Affairs GPHA and Kwabena Ofosu-Appiah, representing the Ghana Institute of Freight Forwarders.
The rest are Richmond Evans Appiah, Deputy Chief Executive (Services) Volta River Authority (VRA); Sylvia Asana Dauda Owu, Deputy CEO, Ghana Shippers Authority; Margaret A. Campbell; Felicity Ankomah Sey, Regional Maritime University; Michael Arthur-Dadzie, Fisheries Commission and Lawrence Kumi, Ministry of Transport.
The Driver and Vehicle Licensing Authority (DVLA) board members are Frank Herbert Davies, Snr. Managing Partner, Dany and Davis, Chairman, Kwasi Busia, Emmanuel Num, Ministry of Transport, Ing. May Obiri-Yeboah (Mrs.) Executive Director, National Road Safety Commission (NRSC), Maxwell Sakipasgo Atingane, Ghana Police MTTD and Lt Colonel Mohammed Wumbei, Commanding Officer Defence Mechanical Transport Battalion.
The rest for DVLA are Robinson Kwasi Kwakye, Joseph Bentor, National Insurance Commission, Francis Yaw Agbozo, Ghana National Association of Driving Schools, Stephen Obeng Kumi, Frank Jones Abban, Ghana Revenue Authority, Customs Division and Francis Johnny Amegayibor, Ghana Automobile Distributors Association.
The Chairmen for GMA and DVLA, Robert Kingsford Kutin and Frank Herbert Davis, who expressed their appreciation to President Akufo-Addo for their nomination, also assured that they will work to bring about the needed reforms .
Mr. Kutin, Chairman of GMA board however appealed to the Minister to fast-track the legislation process for the GMA to help them discharge their duties effectively.
By Solomon Ofori