Ghana’s Driver and Vehicle Licensing Authority (DVLA) is confronting a financial crisis after newly appointed CEO Julius Neequaye Kotei revealed inheriting debts exceeding Gh¢300 million ($25 million) and $200 million in liabilities from his predecessor, Kwasi Agyemang Busia.
The staggering obligations, tied to undisclosed contracts, threaten to strain operations at the agency responsible for vehicle registration and driver licensing—a critical pillar of the country’s transport sector.
In a candid interview with Hot FM, Kotei vowed to prioritize debt resolution while overhauling the DVLA’s services, insisting the fiscal hole “will not derail reforms.”
His pledge comes amid longstanding public frustration over bureaucratic delays and corruption allegations at the agency, which manages over 2.4 million vehicle registrations annually. “We will clear these debts, streamline operations, and restore trust,” Kotei asserted, though he offered no timeline or detailed recovery plan.
The debt bombshell underscores systemic governance cracks in Ghana’s state agencies. While the DVLA’s exact contractual missteps remain murky, the scale suggests years of unchecked spending or mismanagement.
For Kotei, the challenge is twofold: stabilizing finances without slashing essential services and modernizing an agency where manual processes still dominate. Success hinges on swift transparency—publishing audit findings, renegotiating predatory contracts, and leveraging digital tools to curb revenue leaks.
Yet skepticism lingers. Previous DVLA chiefs made similar pledges, only for graft scandals to resurface. Meanwhile, Ghana’s economic crunch—with public debt at 84% of GDP—limits bailout options.
Kotei’s resolve will soon face reality checks: Can he attract donor support or public-private partnerships? Will the government back tough reforms? As Ghana’s transport sector groans under illegal “ghost” vehicles and licensing backlogs, the DVLA’s reckoning isn’t just about balance sheets—it’s about proving public institutions can pivot from liability to efficiency.
