The Vehicle Embossment Association of Ghana (VEMAG) has called for an immediate suspension of the Driver and Vehicle Licensing Authority’s (DVLA) planned digital number plate policy, warning that its implementation could displace thousands of local workers.
The association wants the policy deferred until after mid-2026, arguing that the delay would create space for meaningful dialogue and proper planning ahead of the transition.
At a press conference in Accra, VEMAG spokesperson Joojo Bruce-Quansah accused the DVLA of sidelining long-standing local embossers in favour of foreign entities, a move he said threatens the livelihoods of over 3,000 workers.
He maintained that VEMAG has remained the DVLA’s key partner in vehicle number plate embossment for decades and should not be excluded from reforms of such national significance.
Although VEMAG supports modernisation and digitisation, Mr Bruce-Quansah said the authority’s unilateral approach has created unnecessary tension and uncertainty within the industry.
The DVLA’s new number plate regime, scheduled to begin in January 2026, seeks to enhance vehicle security by tying plates to individual owners, eliminating registration year markings, and introducing zonal and regional identifiers. Vehicle owners will also be required to remove plates upon sale.
The plates will be digitally enabled, featuring RFID chips, Ghana Card integration, online number reservation, and enhanced security architecture.
According to the DVLA’s roadmap, new registrations will commence on January 1, 2026, while existing vehicles—estimated at over four million, will undergo re-registration between April 2026 and December 2027.
VEMAG insists the policy rollout breached earlier assurances of consultation. Mr Bruce-Quansah recalled a 2021 engagement with DVLA’s former leadership, during which the association was promised full involvement in future reforms.
He said the association remains open to cooperation and is prepared to retrain its workforce through joint capacity-building programmes to ensure a seamless shift into the new system.
