DVLA REOPENS FIVE DRIVING SCHOOLS IN KUMASI (PAGE 28)

Five out of the 12 driving schools that were closed down by the Driver and Vehicle Licensing Authority (DVLA) in Kumasi two weeks ago for failing to meet the requirements of the licensing authority have now received the nod to resume full operations.
The Ashanti Regional Licensing Officer, Mr Noah Tetteh Matey, told the Daily Graphic that the re-opening of the five driving schools followed the satisfaction by the DVLA after a re-inspection of the schools, saying "They have now put the schools in good order to enable them be proficient in the training of drivers."
He gave the names of the driving schools as Duis Burger, Road Runners, Fantow, Sefos and Joe Rees.
He said two others — The Ghana Private Road Transport Union (GPRTU) and the Trust Way-Driving schools, which were affected by the closure — would be inspected by Friday "and when we see that they have also satisfied our requirements, we will re-open them to enable them to start business".
Mr Matey said five driving schools — World Wide, Kingspride, Nana Dii, Trinity Alliance and Corban — that were yet to meet their requirements remained closed.
Explaining why the affected schools did not meet their requirements, Mr Matey said while some of them operated in containers, making it impossible for their trainee drivers to have a conducive atmosphere to fully concentrate on their programmes, others did not have qualified instructors, road worthy vehicles and dual pedal vehicles.
He said some of them also combined their driving schools with other commercial activities on the same premises.
He said now that those that had been re-opened had refurbished their premises or satisfied all their requirements, it was necessary for them to maintain the standards to prevent any future closure.
Mr Matey said further that the DVLA would pay regular unannounced visits to the schools to ensure that they fully conformed to all regulations that enhanced efficient training of drivers.
He said it was only when drivers were well-trained by the driving schools that there would be discipline on the roads to reduce the carnage that Ghanaians had been subjected to in recent times.
He said it was important that all driving schools had well-qualified instructors "because that is the only way that they could offer useful directives to trainee drivers to enhance safety on our roads".
He said information reaching his outfit indicated that some people were operating driving schools in the Kumasi metropolis and its environs without registering with the DVLA.
Such activities, he said, were illegal and warned such people to stop operating the schools before they were arrested.
Mr Matey said such schools did not know and appreciate the rudiments of the training of drivers "so they would be dealt with when they are found out".
He said apart from registering with the DVLA, all driving schools were also required to have a conducive atmosphere for the training of drivers, dual pedal, road worthy vehicles for their training and qualified instructors among other requirements.
"This is the only way to facilitate the training of drivers for them to appreciate road safety regulations to make travelling more enjoyable," he noted.
"The DVLA expects good working relationship with driving schools where everything is in good order. This will ensure that in future only drivers who attend driving schools will be issued with driving licence," Mr Matey stressed.