The Acting Chief Executive Officer of the Driver and Vehicle Licensing Authority (DVLA), Julius Neequaye Kotey, has called for discipline and transparency in road safety enforcement, saying there should be “no protocols” to bypass the system when it comes to saving lives on Ghana’s roads.

Speaking on Joy FM’s Super Morning Show, Mr Kotey addressed widespread concerns about DVLA operations, particularly roadside checks, infractions, and the imposition of delinquency fees.

He acknowledged that the authority faces public mistrust and admitted that there is a negative public perception that must be tackled head-on.

“We also realise that the public has this stereotype and misconception about DVLA. They feel we’re corrupt, we’re thieves, and I think that things must change,” he said.

Mr Kotey stressed that efforts to enforce traffic laws are not targeted at inconveniencing motorists but are meant to protect lives.

He revealed that he often receives phone calls from friends complaining about being stopped by DVLA officers.

“Sometimes they bring people to the office, and I don’t want to mingle with what happens over there. It’s their work that is being done. My friends call me and say, ‘your boys have arrested me; your boys are this and that’, and I say, 'My brother, it is your life I am trying to save. Let’s do what is right',” he explained.

He emphasised the need for fairness and consistency in the licensing process, warning that bending rules to favour certain individuals could lead to fatal consequences.

“At DVLA, we should do away with protocols. I encouraged the health sector to do the same. Because when I give you a licence and you don’t know how to drive, it is just like giving a gun to an armed robber to protect the community. You are going to have issues on the road,” he said.

He insisted that all drivers must meet the right standards, adding that faulty vehicles and unqualified drivers pose serious threats to public safety.

“When your car suspension is not good, your tyres are not good; you don’t expect me to tell my workers to let you go. I will tell them to encourage you to go and do what is right,” he added.

Mr Kotey urged Ghanaians to be truthful and uphold basic standards of right and wrong.

“We have to be frank with Ghana. We can’t defend everything. What is not right is not right; what is right is right,” he said.