Accra: The Driver and Vehicle Licensing Authority (DVLA) has revealed that a staggering 75% of the driving licences it scrutinized among ride-hailing drivers in Ghana were fraudulent. This alarming statistic has sparked concerns about passenger safety and the enforcement of licensing regulations within the industry.
According to Ghana Web, DVLA's Chief Executive Officer, Julius Neequaye Kotey, shared these findings during an appearance on Atinka TV. The checks were conducted through the DVLA's ride-hailing monitoring system, which uncovered that a significant number of drivers on these platforms were operating with counterfeit licences.
Kotey emphasized that this issue poses a serious risk, as drivers with fake licences may not have completed the necessary legal licensing procedures. 'We have issues with ride-hailing drivers. When we checked the ride-hailing monitoring system on our end, 75% of the licences we checked in the ride-hailing space were all fake,' he stated.
The problem is not confined to a single ride-hailing company; rather, it spans across several major platforms in Ghana. Kotey specifically identified Bolt, Uber, and Yango as services where the DVLA detected drivers using fake licences.
In light of these findings, the DVLA CEO called on stakeholders within the ride-hailing industry to address the issue earnestly. He urged these platforms to ensure that all drivers operating under their banner possess valid and legitimate licences.
This disclosure has surfaced in the context of increasing concerns regarding safety and regulation in Ghana's burgeoning ride-hailing sector.