Accra: The famous Defective Vehicle (DV) plates, commonly seen on unregistered vehicles used for personal purposes, are at the center of a significant illegal practice. These plates, which are legally intended for use by car dealers, are often misused by individuals, despite being governed by strict regulations outlined in the Road Traffic Act 683/04 and its amendments, as well as the Road Traffic Regulations, 2012.
According to Ghana Web, the Chief Executive Officer of the Driver and Vehicle Licensing Authority (DVLA), Julius Neequaye Kotey, has disclosed a concerning figure of over 30,000 fake DV plates currently in circulation across the country. These counterfeit plates are reportedly produced by illegal cartels operating from Lapaz in Accra, contributing to the unauthorized use of DV plates.
Kotey emphasized that this illegal activity poses a severe threat to national security. With each official DV plate costing GHS417.25, the total street value of the fake plates surpasses GHS12.5 million. In response, the DVLA has intensified efforts to curb the misuse of DV plates, tightening distribution channels and deploying a compliance team to catch offenders.
Kotey also issued a caution to the public, advising them to avoid dealing with unauthorized middlemen, known as 'goro boys.' Instead, he encouraged citizens to directly utilize DVLA services at official offices to prevent falling victim to fraudulent activities involving fake DV plates.