By Godfred A. Polkuu, GNA
Zuarungu (U/E) Aug 7, GNA – The Driver and Vehicle Licensing Authority (DVLA) in collaboration with the Ghana Police Service have inspected and seized about 100 motorbikes and tricycles on the Bolgatanga-Zuarungu highway for various offenses including fake registration numbers.
Speaking to the Ghana News Agency (GNA) after the exercise, which lasted from six hours, Mr Mutawakil Abdulai, the Upper East Regional Manager of the DVLA, said it was a routine exercise, especially on market days and any other day deemed fit for the operation by his outfit.
He indicated that the officials looked out for faults in about five areas: roadworthy, drivers and riders licenses, defects such as missing number plates, missing documents, and fake registration.”
Mr Abdulai said the exercise was intended to generate revenue for the government and emphasised that: “the money does not go to any individual’s pocket at the DVLA and I want to put this on record.”
The revenue are used for development projects, payment of government workers’ salaries among others.”
He said the routine exercise, which was often done across the entire country, depended on several methods adopted by the DVLA offices, adding that, they preferred compelling offenders to follow due process to register their vehicles at the DVLA, whiles they would be processed for court.
The Regional Manager said the DVLA was acting within the confines of the law and not exceeding its mandate, “the exercise is difficult in nature, because compelling somebody to come and register is not an easy task.”
“Human beings by our nature can pretend either knowingly or unknowingly. People will question me why I ask them to pay roadworthy for their motorcycle, but if you refer to the mother law; Article 683, goes back to the Legislative Instrument (LI) 2180, which clearly refers to all power driven machines used on the road to be registered for roadworthy certification as demanded,” he said.
Mr Abdulai said bicycle users were not stopped during the exercise because bicycles were not power driven machines, and called on members of the public not to see DVLA as an enemy institution.
“DVLA was set up by an Act of Parliament and we are working for the people of Ghana.”
Addressing the issue of why one should obtain riders license, Mr Abdulai explained that “getting licenses is a privilege and not a right, and issuing license to people does not infringe on the fundamental human rights of anybody because Ghana is not an island in the world. Issuing permit for somebody to drive on the road is a law across the whole globe.”
He disclosed that there was no examination for motorcycle and tricycle riders who sought to obtain riders license, adding that: “There is no exams for it, the exams have been taken off and replaced by what we call Compulsory Basic Training, which is just for a day. So there is no excuse for you to say it is difficult to obtain riders license.”
The Manager said as part of the training, applicants would be schooled on various safety precautions such as where and when to overtake, dangerous parking areas, and the different types of crash helmets and their importance.
“There are so many rudiments and petty knowledge and one will need to apply in spite of the fact that he or she can operate the machine.
Mr Abdulai expressed worry that several institutions including tertiary educational institutions in the region were served letters to get their staff and students ready for a training programme called “Tertiary Education Drive”, but there was no response to these letters, especially from training institutions, even though the training would be structured not to interfere with academic activities.
“We will structure it such a way that while the academic work is going, we will also be processing license.
He noted that it was only Bolgatanga Polytechnic, which has responded and they would get their students ready for the exercise in due course.
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