'I was offered GH¢4 million to stop new number plate reforms' – DVLA CEO reveals

The Chief Executive Officer of the Driver and Vehicle Licensing Authority (DVLA), Julius Neequaye Kotey, has disclosed that he was offered GH¢4 million by individuals linked to a cartel to stop planned changes to Ghana’s vehicle number plate system.

According to him, the offer was made after he assumed office and began pushing reforms aimed at introducing new number plates with scannable features that would provide instant access to vehicle information.

He said he rejected the offer because he was determined to leave a lasting legacy at the DVLA and did not want to betray the confidence President John Dramani Mahama had placed in young people appointed to public positions.

“I was offered GH¢4 million by a cartel to stop changes to the DVLA number plate system. I rejected it because of the trust the President has placed in me,” he stated during an interview on Starr FM.

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He explained that his motivation was to ensure that the reforms were successfully implemented and that future vehicle owners would benefit from a more modern identification system.

He also disclosed that he began receiving threats from individuals opposed to the changes, leading to the involvement of the police for his security.

Kotey said he subsequently submitted evidence relating to the threats and the alleged bribery attempt to the Office of the Special Prosecutor.

He indicated that some of the individuals connected to the alleged cartel were known to him, although one of the people believed to have facilitated the approach had since died.

The DVLA CEO said that despite the pressure and the money involved, he remained committed to the reforms because he believed the President’s confidence in young public officials came with a responsibility to deliver.

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“I can't disappoint my President. The President said he believes in the youth, and we can make him proud. That has been my motivation,” he said.

The disclosure comes as the DVLA pushes to modernise aspects of Ghana’s vehicle registration and identification system, with the proposed scannable number plates expected to make it easier for authorities to obtain information about vehicles.

DR/MA

LIVE | I was offered GH¢4 million by a cartel to stop changes to the DVLA number plate system. I rejected it because of the trust the President has placed in me.” pic.twitter.com/DdWSdAc5Nv

— DEK360Ghana🇬🇭 (@Dek360Ghana) September 18, 2026