By: Hannah Dadzie
The Driver and Vehicle Licensing Authority, DVLA, has extended its mobile service programme to the Ghana Broadcasting Corporation, GBC in Accra, to help staff access the Authority’s enhanced services.
The DVLA now sends its licence-related services to the doorstep of corporate institutions, associations, tertiary institutions, drivers’ unions and other recognized groups, to eliminate activities of middlemen also known as ‘goro’ boys.
In an interview with GBC NEWS, Manager, Driver Training, Testing and Licensing at the DVLA, John Asante-Arhin, urged corporate institutions to take advantage of the mobile service for their workers due to their busy schedules.
He said the Authority is readily available for any organization which wants to offer proficiency test for newly recruited drivers.
“This package is designed solely for workers. For that matter if their number is 20 or more, they could write officially to the Director, and then the service requested will be rendered. We are here to render service to staff of GBC who’s licence has expired, renewal and also replace missing ones. Mobile Service, we have our unique charges as compared to when one visits main DVLA offices. Charges are determined by the type of service rendered. Renewal price is fixed which is 126.00, what we can do for the new applicants is we issue the first charge which is 253.67” Mr Asante-Arhin said.
The Chief Executive Officer of the Step Ahead Driving School, which is accredited by the DVLA, Gifty Lartey, advised applicants to go through certified driving schools, as part of efforts to improve safety on the roads.
“The person has to go to a driving school but not just any driving school, it has to be a driving school certified by DVLA, and Step Ahead Driving School has been certified by DVLA. When you come in, there are processes you go through, we take your details and after that we create the DVLA portal for you with your credentials. We then begin with the lesson which are theories and practicals” Ms Lartery added.
Participants were taken through all the processes in acquiring or renewing driver’s license including biometric data capturing, photograph, and eye screening.
Some staff of GBC who went through the process shared their experience on the mobile service.
“Having been through the normal process of going to DVLA, I think this is faster, easier and stress free. This also eliminates the “goro boys” syndrome where you directly deal with the agents of DVLA so i think it’s a good initiative and i encourage it” GBC Staff, Mark Agboadoa noted.
“Seriously it’s timely, because i was thinking of how i will get to 37 DVLA to have my license renewed. I was thinking about the process, it’s really tedious so at least they coming to our doorsteps is a plus, the process i mean is swift, so i think it has really been of help and we are grateful for this mobile service” Another staff, Mary Wormenor
“I came here to renew my license and i think that the service the DVLA is providing is very good. I mean the door to door service, it makes workers stay at their work and have the time to be productive, but if somebody should ask permission to go to the DVLA office, he goes and spend the whole day in long queues, he gets tired and he gets tired and might just prefer to continue to go house, the mobile service should not stop” A Participant
Many believe this mobile service is a good initiative, and urged others to liaise with the DVLA to extend the service to their staff.
