Some clients accessing the services
On the first day of operation in the New Year, the 37 Driver and Vehicle Licensing Authority (DVLA) offices in Accra recorded low congestion.
When DAILY GUIDE visited the premises on January 2, 2018, at around 10 am, it was observed that the premises, which usually would have been characterised by long queues and parked vehicles on the first day of registration, was virtually empty.
Customers were seen patiently waiting in halls as they took turns to go through the process to acquire their new number plates.
Some customers that interacted with the newspaper expressed satisfaction with the process and attributed the less congestion to the pre-registration exercise which was started last year.
In a press release signed by the Public Relations Manager, Francis Asamoah Tuffour, which was dated November 30, 2018, the DVLA informed vehicle owners who wanted to register new vehicles for the year 2019 to start the process from December 3, 2018.
They were required to present their vehicles to Private Vehicle Test Stations for inspection and then proceed to the DVLA for custom clearance, identity check and technical inspection.
Owners were only required to make payments from January 2, 2019, after which biometric data were to be captured and other vehicle documents such as vehicle smart card, certificate of title and number plates would be issued.
However, in an interview, Mr Tuffour warned that customers who did not patronise the early registration offer were likely to encounter difficulties in the form of congestion and delays as they go through the process.
The Assistant Manager in charge of Vehicle Inspection and Registration, Edwin Happy Ofori, in an interview, attributed the less congestion on the premises to the directive earlier introduced.
He also mentioned measures which included proper security arrangement and the expansion of registration centres from two to four as the main factors for the improved situation on the premises.
He admitted that the directive which did not allow advanced payment for 2019 vehicle registration to be made resulted in congestion in the banking hall as people were eager to make payment on the first day of registration.
“Our cashiers are however responding to the pressure and for now everything is moving smoothly,” he said.
Mr Ofori cautioned the public against seeking the assistance of middlemen also known as ‘Gorro Boys’ on DVLA premises, for they are not accredited to facilitate or help anyone.
By Issah Mohammed