The Ministry of Foreign Affairs has formally distanced itself from a controversial plan by the Driver and Vehicle Licensing Authority (DVLA) to roll out licensing services for Ghanaians abroad, leading the agency to announce a review of its proposed approach.
In a press release issued on Thursday, February 26, 2026, the Ministry stated it had no knowledge of, nor had it approved, any such arrangement, contradicting claims made earlier by the DVLA.
“The Ministry of Foreign Affairs wishes to state categorically that it has neither issued a directive to our diplomatic missions abroad nor granted approval to any entity for such an arrangement,” the statement read.
The Ministry clarified that no formal engagement had taken place, no new policy had been brought to its attention, and no financial commitment regarding the initiative was on record. “There is no record available at the Ministry pointing to this purported new policy direction,” the statement added.
The confusion began two days prior when the DVLA Chief Executive, Julius Neequaye Kotey, announced at the commissioning of a new office in Kumasi that staff would be traveling to the United States, Canada, Germany, the Netherlands, and the UK to provide licensing services. The announcement sparked widespread public debate and criticism, with many questioning the use of state resources for overseas assignments while domestic offices face operational challenges.
In an initial response on Thursday, the DVLA sought to clarify its position, explaining that the plan involved a collaboration with the Foreign Ministry. The Authority stated that local embassy staff, not DVLA personnel, would be trained to verify documents. These would then be sent to Accra for processing, with the finished licences returned to the embassies for collection. The DVLA emphasized that its domestic staff would not be posted abroad.
However, this explanation was directly contradicted by the Foreign Ministry’s statement later that day, which denied any such collaborative arrangement was in place.
Following the Ministry’s rebuttal, the DVLA issued a second statement announcing a review of its strategy.
“The Management of the Driver and Vehicle Licensing Authority (DVLA) has taken note of the public reactions following the announcement of our intention to extend selected services to Ghanaians living abroad. We appreciate the feedback and the concerns expressed by members of the public,” the DVLA said in a statement.
“In view of these sentiments, Management is reviewing the proposed approach and exploring alternative options to ensure that our services remain accessible to all Ghanaians, including those residing outside the country.”
The Foreign Ministry has reassured the public of its commitment to transparency and financial prudence in all public service delivery initiatives.
