The Chairman of the Governing Board of the Driver and Vehicle Licensing Authority (DVLA), George Spencer Quaye, announced a new focus on road safety at the opening of the Authority’s 2026 Mid‑Year Review Conference in Sunyani, Bono Region.
Quaye said the DVLA must no longer be judged solely by revenue, licences issued or vehicles registered but by how effectively it reduces the risk of death and injury on Ghana’s roads.
He highlighted that Ghana recorded 14,743 road crashes, 2,949 deaths and 16,714 injuries in 2025, and that between January and April 2026 alone, 4,899 crashes claimed 1,009 lives and injured 5,982 people.
Quaye warned that speeding, dangerous overtaking, drink‑driving, fatigue, distraction, driving unroadworthy vehicles, inadequate competence and disregard for traffic rules must be confronted head‑on. He also noted challenges such as poorly maintained roads, inadequate markings and insufficient pedestrian facilities.
He urged the DVLA to transform itself from a licensing and registration agency into a road‑safety institution, adding that road safety would become more prominent in the Authority’s performance framework, with emphasis on driver competence, vehicle compliance, licensing integrity and regulatory effectiveness.
Quaye called for stronger driver testing, vehicle inspection, use of technology, data integration and zero tolerance for fraud and corruption, warning that a fraudulent licence can become a lethal document.
While acknowledging the importance of financial sustainability, he stressed that every life matters more than every cedi.
He concluded that the ultimate measure of the DVLA’s performance should be whether its systems contribute meaningfully to reducing deaths and injuries on Ghana’s roads.
