The Chief Executive Officer of the Driver and Vehicle Licensing Authority (DVLA), Julius Neequaye Kotey , has stood firm against bribery and illegal charges at the DVLA and has called for the display of banners showing official fees at all DVLA offices to prevent overcharging and extortion.
Speaking on TV3’s Hot Issues on Tuesday, April 1, Julius explained that “guru boys” and some DVLA staff are involved in illicit fee collection at the various offices at the institution, which he is determined to address.
“I have instructed every station officer to put a flexi banner that has our fees and charges over there so no one goes to overcharge,” he stated, saying this will bring transparency to the process.
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Mr. Kotey cited a recent case that happened where a staff member charged GHS 14,000 for a customer plate, which is higher than the standard fee of around GHS 8,000, noting that this illegal charge is unacceptable and must stop.
“They charged someone 14,000 for customer plates, which is supposed to be 8,000, but with registration, it goes to 9,000. Of course, so I ordered him to pay the money back, and then he came to our office to face a committee. They’ll make the report available to me on Wednesday.”
He further assured that measures are being taken to reduce waiting times for customers to ensure that customers receive prompt service within 30 minutes of their arrival.
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Mr.Kotey’s decision to display charges at all DVLA offices follows growing concerns over bribery and corruption at DVLA offices, where citizens pay high fees for services, which has decreased public trust in the institution.
Some attributed these illegal charges to the “guru boys,” an unofficial group of individuals who serve as mediators to facilitate vehicle registration and other vehicle-related services
While other people call for the dismissal of these guru boys, Mr. Quartey suggests that integrating and training them within the DVLA system would be a more effective approach for the institution.
He believes his call for the display of charges will ensure that customers do not pay more than they are supposed to pay.