Julius Neequaye Kotey is the CEO of the DVLA
The Chief Executive Officer of the Driver and Vehicle Licensing Authority (DVLA), Julius Neequaye Kotey, has come under intense social media criticism following reports that the Authority plans to dispatch staff to five countries to address driver licensing concerns among Ghanaians in the diaspora.
Kotey, speaking at an event organised by the DVLA, informed staff that the initiative had received approval from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.
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He explained that the programme is intended to enable Ghanaians in the diaspora to renew their driver’s licences seamlessly without the need to travel to Ghana for the process.
“Some of you DVLA staff will be travelling overseas to provide services in five countries outside Ghana — the US, Canada, the Netherlands, the UK and Germany. That is the service we are going to provide,” he said.
He added, “We got approval from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, and this is what we are going to do for our Ghanaians staying abroad. They don’t need to come down to renew their one-year licences once they expire. We’ll be there to do it for them. We will provide all licensing services over there, except vehicle registration.”
However, the initiative has attracted opposition from a section of Ghanaians who argue that the move is unnecessary.
Critics contend that many Ghanaians living abroad do not drive or require Ghanaian driver’s licences once outside the country, insisting that the exercise could amount to a waste of taxpayers’ money.
They further maintain that resources could be better directed toward improving services at local DVLA offices.
Notable figures, including investigative journalist Manasseh Azure Awuni, lawyer Oliver Barker-Vormawor, and Constitutional Review Committee Chairman Prof. Kwasi Prempeh, have publicly expressed dissatisfaction with the initiative.
Barker-Vormawor warned that the plan carries the hallmarks of a potential scandal and should be halted.
In a Facebook post dated February 25, 2025, he urged that the initiative be aborted, suggesting it raises serious concerns.
“Abort! Abort! Abort! This just smells like an upcoming scandal. When it looks like a scandal, sounds like a scandal, it will be a scandal,” he posted.
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Manasseh Azure Awuni also questioned the rationale behind the move, expressing disbelief over the decision to implement the programme.
“How? I mean, how could anyone come up with this?” he wrote.
DVLA Chief Executive, Julius Neequaye Kotey, discloses the Ministry of Foreign Affairs has approved processes for some selected DVLA staff to be stationed in five countries in both Europe and America to offer license services.#JoyNews pic.twitter.com/qMxwYoy6yo
— JoyNews (@JoyNewsOnTV) February 26, 2026
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