Manager for the Vehicle Inspection and Registration (VIR), a body of the Driver and Vehicle Licensing Authority (DVLA), Eric Addison, has intimated that, his outfit registers vehicles to be used in the country based on its condition mainly its safety and effectivity and not based on newness or age.
Speaking in an interview this morning, on vehicle registration and requirements needed, he explained that, the age of vehicle is not factored in the registration processing, giving an example that, vintage vehicles could not be registered if it was so.
“We register a vehicle provided it is in safe working conditions, it has no hazardous effect to the environment and public health and also if it satisfies all the criteria required by law.”
He further noted that, vehicle registration has been made very simple in the country where he posited that, his comment comes on the back of numerous complains from vehicle owners saying the process has become laborious and as such, they cannot access the authority’s services and due to this, resort to the use of middlemen adding that most of them result in fraudulent activities,
He said that possessing the right document is one of the most important things to note when the thought of registering a vehicle comes to mind because, his outfit registers road worthy vehicles to make sure that the condition of the vehicle is as required by law.
Highlighting on some of the registration processes again, he made known that for vehicles purchased in the country, the importer must be known before permission is granted for the registration of the vehicle, because the vehicle will be registered in the name of the importer before you transfer it into you name.
Touching on the relations between the Driver and Vehicle Licensing Authority (DVLA) and the Motor Transport and Traffic Directorate (MTTD) with regards to enforcing regulations on vehicle registration and road activities, Mr. Addison revealed that, they work hand in hand with them because they are one of their key stakeholders adding that, DVLA has a critical role to play with regards to vehicles that ply our roads.
He also stated that, the country currently has about 27 vehicle stations which are spread across the country to aid the DVLA in testing and certifying various vehicles and also decongest the DVLA offices in the country.
He added that, although these testing stations are under the DVLA, they are private entities who form a private sector participation inline with the DVLA Act of 1999, which gives power to private vehicle testing stations to examine vehicles on behalf of the DVLA.
He then said that the rationale behind this was to promote equipment-based testing due to the authority’s goal of meeting international standards.
The DVLA is a government agency, responsible for licensing and evaluation of drivers and cars in Ghana.
Established under the parliament Act 569 in 1999, the Authority is to ensure, safety on Ghanaian roads and is also allowed to have a semi-autonomous status in the public sector in the Transport Ministry.
