Julius Neequaye Kotey is the CEO of DVLA
The Chief Executive Officer of the Driver and Vehicle Licensing Authority (DVLA), Julius Neequaye Kotey, has averred that nearly five percent of vehicles registered in Ghana are operating with fake number plates obtained through illegal means.
Speaking on TV3 on Sunday, January 25, 2026, Kotey said fraudsters exploit several loopholes to produce counterfeit plates.
He noted that plates from accident-damaged cars beyond repair are often embossed and reused, while others photocopy customs documents to duplicate registration numbers for vehicles that have evaded duty payments.
“There are several ways they get these plates. Sometimes they pick numbers from cars involved in accidents that can’t be repaired and emboss them. They even go to farmlands where equipment never returns to the road and emboss those plates. Others simply photocopy customs documents and use the same numbers on vehicles that did not pay duty,” the DVLA CEO said.
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Kotey stressed that number plates are security documents and should not be produced indiscriminately.
He therefore called for the centralisation of embossing under a single authorised company to strengthen oversight, enhance security, and protect motorists.
The DVLA boss also cautioned Ghanaians to be vigilant about where they obtain their plates, warning that using unauthorised embossers could expose them to legal and security risks.
“In terms of security, it will help the Ghanaian consumer. You don’t just allow anyone, anywhere to emboss number plates. That plate is a security document, so we need to be cautious and circumspect about who embosses number plates and for whom,” Kotey said.
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Source:
www.ghanaweb.com
