DVLA TO WITHDRAW OLD LICENCES (PAGE 30)

The Kumasi Office of the Driver Vehicle and Licensing Authority (DVLA) in collaboration with the Kumasi Metropolitan Police Command is to withdraw all driving licences issued between 1999 and 2004 from the system.
This is the result of the introduction of new licences in 2005 by the authority.
The DVLA is also to prevent all commercial and private ramshackle vehicles that ply the roads in the Kumasi Metropolis and its environs from operating.
Drivers who use fake driving licences and fake roadworthy certificates would be arrested and prosecuted when the task force begins its work in the Kumasi Metropolis and its environs.
The exercise, which is to enhance efficiency among the driving public, is also meant to reduce the spate of accidents, the result of reckless driving, which has led to the loss of precious lives and valuable property.
The removal of the ramshackle vehicles is also meant to reduce the constant breakdown of such vehicles on the major trunk roads, which creates insecurity among the travelling public.
The Ashanti Regional Manager of the DVLA, Mr Noah Tetteh Matey, who announced this in an interview with the Daily Graphic expressed concern about the number of accidents on the roads in recent times, which had made the travelling public and their dependants panicky.
He explained that the old driving licences were being withdrawn from the system because those who still possessed them had refused to acquire the new driving licences which had been introduced.
“ Such licences had already been phased out, which means that no one can use them to operate ... unless he undertakes an aptitude and practical test to verify if he has the requisite skills”.
The test is also to ensure that they can interpret road signs very well to enhance efficiency on the roads to make travelling more enjoyable and comfortable,” he stressed.
“ Those who still have the old licences in their possession would be tested as fresh drivers, and it is only when they excel in their examinations that new licences will be issued to them to operate as drivers, ” he further explained.
“ We have realised that those who use the old licences cannot read and write to enable them appreciate the road signs and warning signals placed at vantage points, and this creates problems for them and other road users, ” he said.
On the activities of the DVLA, Mr Matey said customer care was their priority, so they had taken measures to sensitise their staff to enhance efficiency in the delivery of services to those who did business with them.
He said the authority had increased its staff from six to 10 to enable them attend quickly to their clients.