A Traffic Management Expert is proposing a new National Database System through a Digital Readable Vehicle Number plate.

Samuel Oppong said this will reposition the Driver and Vehicle Licensing Authority (DVLA) to achieve optimal revenue and road safety.

According to him, this would be achieved through the use of improved automated systems, in the case of vehicle registration in Ghana.

In an interview in Accra, Mr Oppong said the ultimate targets of the system is to improve road safety, revenue collection and create jobs for the youth.

The expert also noted that the new development among other activities would be implemented to achieve the aforementioned objectives and targets through Vehicle Registration and Management Systems (VRMS), a web-based platform.

The web-based platform, he said, would be installed on a 3-tier Data Centre with a replicating site for disaster recovery to be connected to stakeholders such as the Private Vehicle Testing Stations (PVTS), Insurance Companies, and the Motor Traffic and Transport Department of the Ghana Police Service.

"Other stakeholders are the Ghana Revenue Authority (Customs Division), National Identification Authority, Banks, Motor Courts, the Ghana Immigration Service, and the Public.

Mr Oppong explained that the connection would be done through a secured VPN using the appropriate encryption and other security tools to protect and secure data.

He said the VRMS deployment will be done through dedicated Local Area Networks at all DVLA and PVTS Centres or through a Wide Area Network leveraging on the infrastructure which National Information Technology Agency has already provided nationwide.

The Traffic Management Expert said having established the connection to all major stakeholders, the DVLA would do a re-registration of all vehicles and owners/drivers of vehicles using the vehicle registration documents, all receipts from the GRA, roadworthy certificate from the PVTS, insurance cover notes, national IDs of owner/driver of vehicle and service charge receipts from DVLA.

The Data collected, he said, would be used to generate the appropriate number plate for the vehicle using the VRMS.

 “Here, the algorithm for the generation of the number plate format would be discussed with the DVLA before the VRMS is finalized,” he said.

He added that the deployment of the system would ensure the creation of an automatic toll payment system which will drastically reduce the long quest of traffic at the toll booths.

“The outcome of the re-registration exercise would result in easy tax determination and collection, proper and accurate data on vehicle inspection, number plate authentication and accurate information on the number and types of vehicles in the country for planning purposes,” he noted.

The expert also recommended that to ensure a successful and complete implementation of the proposal, more PVTS will be licensed across the country, taking into consideration, the creation of additional regions and districts.

He also suggested that speed cameras that could communicate with the vehicle’s number plates be installed to generate all registration information pertaining to the vehicle.

"The insurance companies of all traffic offenders could also be surcharged with fines directly and instantly, for clients to be billed in turn for refund.

This policy would ensure that regular or reckless traffic offenders would not have any insurance company to cover their risks ultimately reducing accidents on roads,” he added.