PRESS STATEMENT FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Tuesday, August 18, 2026
CONCERNED DRIVERS ASSOCIATION OF GHANA(CDAG) CALL FOR IMMEDIATE PRESIDENTIAL AND MINISTERIAL INTERVENTION REGARDING DVLA DELINQUENCY FEES AND SYSTEMIC POLICE EXTORTION ON GHANAIAN ROADS
The Concerned Drivers Association of Ghana(CDAG) is issuing an urgent call to His Excellency the President of the Republic of Ghana John Dramani Mahama and the Honorable Minister for the Interior Mutaka Mubarak to intervene immediately to end delinquency rates charged by the Driver and vehicle Licensing Authority(DVLA).
As commercial drivers, we are facing critical economic pressures rising from the high cost of fuel and official documentation services rendered by the DVLA and these charges are now a yolk that is finally breaking the camel’s back.
The DVLA has unilaterally introduced escalating financial penalties—labeled as "delinquency charges"—for drivers renewing their driver's licenses or vehicle roadworthiness certificates after the date of expiration.
While we wouldn’t want to venture into any legal argument at the moment we wish to categorically state that this system is punitive and unfair.
The DVLA automatically assumes that any driver renewing an expired document was actively driving illegally during that period. This penalizes citizens who were out of the country, had broken-down vehicles, or were financially constrained. These are realities faced by commercial drivers.
Our financial burden has also been further escalated as renewal fees double and triple depending on the duration of delay, placing an unbearable financial barrier on the ordinary Ghanaian trotro driver who simply wants to regularize their documents.
Rampant Extortion and Harassment by Police Personnel
Compounding the DVLA's unfair policies is the routine extortion by officers of the Ghana Police Service, particularly the Motor Traffic and Transport Department (MTTD).
Instead of prioritizing road safety and traffic management, major corridors and checkpoints have turned into collection points. Drivers with minor infractions or expired documents—often caused by the high DVLA renewal costs—are routinely intimidated, coerced, and subjected to spot-cash extortions under the threat of vehicle impoundment or arbitrary arrest.
Commercial drivers are now spending almost have of our revenue on police extortion.
We wish to place the following demands before government;
1. Immediate Suspension of DVLA Penalty Fees: We call on the President and the Ministry of Transport to direct the DVLA to suspend all automatic "delinquency" penalty fees on late renewals of driver’s licenses and roadworthy certificates, reverting charges strictly to approved standard statutory rates.
2. Ministerial Directive on Police Extortion: We request the Minister for the Interior and the Inspector-General of Police (IGP) to deploy strict anti-corruption monitoring mechanisms across road corridors
As commercial drivers, we play a fundamental role in moving Ghana's economy, carrying food, goods, and people daily. We can no longer tolerate being treated as automated cash sources by state institutions.
It is worthy to mention that we have always cooperated with government and in a clear example of showing goodwill withheld our planned transport fare increment by 30%.
The government must therefore exercise a clear show of mutual commitment to our shared goals of establishing a sound economy.
We however continue to remind our colleagues to hold on with any increment in transport fares until the government’s plea for a one month grace period has elapsed.
Sgd:
Paa Willie- National Chairman, Concerned Drivers Association of Ghana
024 297 1025
David Agboado- PRO, Concerned Drivers Association of Ghana
0541063682
Kwesi Arhin, Central Regional Chairman,
0242126365
Akwadaa Nyame, Ashanti Regional Chairman,
0245132673
Source: Alrich24newsgh.blogspot.com
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