Transport Minister, Joseph Bukari Nikpe, has challenged the Driver and Vehicle Licensing Authority (DVLA) to measure the success of its ongoing reforms by how significantly they improve the experience of motorists, rather than by the number of projects and systems it completes.

He says digital platforms, new systems and infrastructure would have little value if they failed to make services offered faster, simpler and more accessible to ordinary Ghanaians.

In a speech read on his behalf by his representative, Daniel Essel, at the DVLA’s 2026 Mid-Year Performance Review Conference in Sunyani, Mr Nikpe urged management to focus on the real-world impact of its reforms on citizens.

The conference is themed: “Transforming DVLA for a Digitally-Driven and Efficient 24-Hour Service Culture.”

“As we gather over the next three days to review programmes and projects, I urge you not to measure success only by the number of projects completed or systems introduced,” he said.

“Let us instead measure it by the difference these reforms make in the lives of the Ghanaian people.”

The Minister said the true test of public-sector transformation was whether citizens experienced a meaningful improvement when accessing government services.

“Ultimately, the true measure of public-sector reform is not how impressive a policy sounds on paper, but how differently the ordinary Ghanaian experiences government because of it,” he added.

The minister pointed to practical examples of what such transformation should look like, including reduced waiting times at licensing offices, access to services outside conventional working hours and greater confidence in vehicle registration systems.

“When a driver spends less time at a licensing office, when a vehicle owner can access a service beyond conventional working hours, or when a motorist can trust that the number plate on the vehicle ahead is genuine, that is when transformation becomes real,” he said.

The Minister acknowledged the DVLA’s recent achievements, including the clearance of 440,000 backlogged driver’s licences and the introduction of an RFID-enabled number plate system developed in-house, set to be piloted ahead of its full implementation in January 2027.

However, he stressed that technology alone would not deliver the desired transformation, urging the Authority to invest in staff development, professionalism and service excellence.

“Technology can change processes, yet it is people who drive transformation,” he said.

The Minister also urged the DVLA to ensure that digitalisation does not exclude citizens with limited access to technology.

His comments come as the Authority pursues a more digitally driven and extended-hours service model.

Mr Nikpe said the reforms should ultimately contribute to restoring public confidence in government institutions and creating a more efficient road transport ecosystem.