By Deborah Pofara Luu
Ghana’s Minister for the Interior, Muntaka Mohammed-Mubarak, has issued a stern warning to chiefs who use their chieftaincy crests instead of official registration plates on their vehicles.
Speaking at the Greater Accra Regional House of Chiefs meeting in Dodowa on February 26, 2025, he emphasized that this practice poses a significant security risk. “If such a vehicle is stolen and used for a crime, it would be nearly impossible to trace,” he explained.
Minister Mohammed-Mubarak noted that even high-ranking officials like the Vice President, Speaker of Parliament, and Chief Justice ensure their vehicles have valid registration numbers. He urged chiefs to comply with the law, offering them the option to acquire customized registration plates for a special fee. “We are in the first quarter, and I want to make this appeal—let us take steps to register all unregistered vehicles now,” he said.
The minister has given chiefs until the end of the first quarter to register their vehicles, after which enforcement will be strictly applied without exceptions. “When enforcement begins, I do not want to be in a position where I have to instruct law enforcement to impound a chief’s vehicle. That would be unfortunate, but if the law has to be enforced, it will be enforced,” he cautioned.
Minister Mohammed-Mubarak plans to visit all 16 regions to engage traditional rulers on this matter, emphasizing the importance of compliance to avoid unnecessary confrontations with law enforcement. He encouraged the Regional Houses of Chiefs to take the matter seriously and ensure their members comply before the deadline.
