News · Richard Boateng Opoku-Ofori

DVLA educates drivers in Koforidua on new number plate system

The Driver and Vehicle Licensing Authority, DVLA, has educated drivers and other road users in Koforidua, the Eastern Regional capital, on its new number plate system, which is expected to improve vehicle identification, strengthen security and support law enforcement.

The exercise, organised under the DVLA’s National Community Outreach initiative, brought together stakeholders in the transport and road safety sectors to educate participants on road safety, emergency response and compliance with traffic regulations.

The new number plate system uses Radio Frequency Identification, RFID, technology, which is expected to help authorised law enforcement officers identify vehicles and access relevant information during investigations into crimes and road traffic offences.

In an interview with the media, the Director of Corporate Affairs at the DVLA, Stephen Attuh, said the new system was designed to improve vehicle identification and assist law enforcement officers in carrying out their duties.

“The new number plate system comes with technology that will help authorised law enforcement officers identify vehicles and access relevant information when investigating crimes and road traffic offences. It also has security features that will help distinguish genuine number plates from fake ones,” he said.

Mr Attuh said the authority had begun piloting the new number plates with about ten thousand vehicles across Accra, Kumasi and Tamale, as part of preparations for the nationwide rollout.

“The pilot programme is expected to end in December, ahead of the planned full implementation in January 2027. The initial rollout will cover newly registered vehicles, while existing vehicle owners will later be given a period to replace their current number plates,” he explained.

He urged drivers who had bought or sold vehicles to ensure that the change-of-ownership process was completed to avoid difficulties when traffic offences were recorded against their vehicles.

“Drivers who have bought or sold vehicles must ensure that the change of ownership is properly completed. This will help prevent situations where offences recorded against a vehicle create problems for someone who is no longer its registered owner,” Mr Attuh said.

The New Juaben Welfare Chairman of the Ghana Private Road Transport Union, GPRTU, and a member of the union’s Regional Steering Committee, Muniru Alhassan, welcomed the initiative, saying the technology could improve vehicle identification and security.

“We are happy about the introduction of the new number plate system because it is expected to improve vehicle identification and security. As a union, we are ready to support the DVLA in educating drivers and helping them understand the new system,” he said.

The outreach programme also involved the Ghana National Fire Service, GNFS, Ghana National Ambulance Service, National Road Safety Authority, NRSA, and the Motor Traffic and Transport Department, MTTD, of the Ghana Police Service.

The DVLA says it will continue to engage drivers and other stakeholders to prepare them for the introduction of the new number plate system.