Consumer Protection Threatens To Sue DVLA Over Hike In Price Of Number Plates

The Consumer Protection Agency (CPA) has threatened to bring a court action against the Driver and Vehicle Licensing Authority (DLA) if the Authority does not backtrack on increments that it has slapped on the price for the acquisition of DV number plates.

Chief Executive of the CPA, Kofi Kapito, says that the increment by the DVLA is unilateral and illegal since neither Parliament nor the Minister of Finance have approved it.

“The DV Plate is what allows you to drive the vehicle on the road. There is a fee which is authorized through Parliament or through the Minister of Finance. The total cost is Ghc154. the DVLA has actually raised it from 154 to 195. by law, no institution can levy or tax the people of this country without the proper channel of approving the tax or the levy which is either through the Minister of Finance or Parliament who says they pass the law that Ghanaians should be taxed.”

Mr. Kapito also pointed out that the DVLA is violating the law by issuing stickers to drivers in place of number plates.

“The other portion is actually the Act that talks about the plate, spells it out in clear language that it should be a plate, one in front,. One at the back the law hasn’t changed it from a plate to a sticker.”

Mr. Kofi Kapito warns that if government does not direct the DVLA to backtrack on the increments, the CPA will go to court for judicial compulsion against the Authority which last year made millions arresting drivers with fake stickers because of frustrating bureaucratic delays in the acquisition of genuine number plates.