A legal battle over the production of Ghana’s new vehicle number plates has taken a significant turn, with all parties involved agreeing to resolve the matter out of court.
The parties are the Driver and Vehicle Licensing Authority (DVLA); the Vehicle Embossment Manufacturers Association of Ghana (VEMAG); and Original Manufacturers and Embossment Company Limited, the firm at the center of the controversy.
This development was announced in a High Court in Accra on Friday, February 13, when the case was called for hearing. Counsel for all parties informed the court, presided over by Justice Isaac Addo, that negotiations for an amicable settlement were underway.
Consequently, the court has granted an adjournment until February 27, 2026, ordering the parties to file their terms of settlement by that date should they reach a successful resolution.
“Since all the lawyers in this suit have expressed a desire to resolve the matter, this court will grant an adjournment,” Justice Addo stated. “In the event that the parties are able to settle the suit out of court, the terms of settlement should be filed before the next court date.”
Background to the Suit
The dispute stems from the DVLA’s decision to contract Original Manufacturers and Embossment Company Limited—owned by Nyarko Esumadu Appiah, also known as Daasebre—for the production of number plates for 2026 and beyond. This included the production of plates under a planned new numbering system, pending parliamentary approval of the requisite legislation.
In response, VEMAG, representing established embossers, filed a suit in December 2025 challenging the decision. The association argued that awarding both the manufacturing and embossing contracts to a single entity was unprecedented and deviated from the long-standing practice involving multiple licensed embossers.
In January 2026, Original Manufacturers and Embossment Company Limited applied to be joined to the suit, an application that was granted by the High Court.
Key Reliefs Sought
VEMAG, represented by counsel Martin Kpebu, is seeking an order to compel the DVLA to continue engaging licensed embossers for the production of number plates. The association is also asking the court to restrain the DVLA from implementing any alternative arrangement for the supply and embossing of plates outside the existing framework.
It is worth noting that the DVLA has already suspended the planned rollout of new number plates originally scheduled for January 2, 2026, citing Parliament’s delay in passing the necessary legislation to formalize the new numbering system.
All parties are now expected to engage in negotiations over the next two weeks in a bid to settle the matter without judicial intervention.
