The Vehicle Embossment Association of Ghana (VEMAG) has filed an injunction at the High Court in Accra to restrain the Driver and Vehicle Licensing Authority (DVLA) from introducing a digital or new vehicle number plate registration system starting January 2026.
The suit, filed on Monday, December 22, 2025, was brought by BEMENCO Embossment Ltd and 26 other members of VEMAG.
The plaintiffs are asking the court to prevent the DVLA from implementing any alternative arrangements for the embossment and supply of vehicle number plates outside the existing framework that involves licensed embossers.
VEMAG argues that the DVLA’s decision to award both manufacturing and embossment contracts to a single entity—Dr Nyarko Esumadu Appiah of Original Manufacturing and Embossment, also known as Daasebre—is unprecedented and violates established practice.
According to the association, the approvals previously granted to embossers over the past three decades constitute an enforceable contract, which the DVLA has neither revoked nor withdrawn.
The plaintiffs also allege that the DVLA failed to advertise tenders or obtain approval from the Public Procurement Authority, violating the Public Procurement Act, 2003 (Act 663).
They describe the decision as illegal, discriminatory, and an abuse of administrative authority, citing that dozens of Ghanaian-owned embossing companies have heavily invested in the sector.
VEMAG warned that the DVLA’s actions could have severe socio-economic consequences, noting that its members collectively employ over 3,000 workers nationwide. The association further expressed concerns that the public could be inconvenienced at the start of the year if vehicle registrations and plate issuance are disrupted.
The plaintiffs claim that members were required to acquire specialised embossment equipment costing between GH¢70,000 and GH¢1 million per unit and that they have historically pre-financed plate production before receiving payment from the DVLA.
In addition to seeking to restrain the digital number plate rollout, VEMAG is requesting the court to compel the DVLA to continue engaging licensed embossers for 2026 and beyond, award costs including solicitors’ fees, and grant any other relief the court deems fit.
The High Court is yet to rule on the injunction application.
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