The Chief Executive Officer of the Driver and Vehicle Licensing Authority (DVLA), Julius Neequaye Kotey, has refuted allegations of impropriety in the award of contracts for vehicle number plates.
He insisted that the accusations are part of a calculated attempt by the Vehicle Embossment Association of Ghana (VEMAG) to embarrass him and push for his dismissal.
Speaking at a press briefing in Accra on Tuesday, January 13, 2026, Kotey said claims that he had illegally awarded or cancelled contracts were baseless.
He explained that a contract signed in November 2024 with Original Manufacturing and Embossment Ltd (OMEL) to emboss and enhance two million plates was valid and binding, having gone through the full procurement process.
According to him, members of the Licensed Plate Manufacturers Association had objected to OMEL’s involvement without providing clear reasons.
He told journalists that he personally facilitated discussions between OMEL and other manufacturers, urging them to collaborate since the contract was already in place.
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“On our first news, we were contacted by a gentleman called Mr. Daasebre. There was a contract he had with DVLA, which started in 2020. But they went through the procurement process, and it was signed on November 26, 2024. The contract required him to emboss and enhance two million plates. The company’s name is OMEL,” he said.
Kotey added, “We asked him to bring a contract. We consulted the legal department, DTTL, VR, and checked our books, and sincerely, the man has a contract.”
“I cannot cancel or amend a contract that has been lawfully signed. All I did was encourage them to engage OMEL directly,” he stated.
While addressing the press, the DVLA boss said that instead of pursuing dialogue, VEMAG resorted to public press conferences, petitions, and eventually a strike, accusing him of corruption and contract manipulation.
“They wrote a petition to the board and to the minister. The minister didn’t see the head or tail of it, and they went to court. Let me state on record that I have not cancelled any contract, nor was any contract cancelled before I came. Regarding number plates, I, Julius Neequaye Kotey, have not issued any contract either,” he said.
He added, “They [VEMAG] planned to embarrass us so that Mahama would sack me. But let me put on record: I have not cancelled any contract, nor have I issued any new one regarding number plates,” he stressed.
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VEMAG drags DVLA to court
On December 22, 2025, VEMAG, made up of BEMENCO Embossment Ltd and 26 other members, filed an injunction at the High Court in Accra to restrain DVLA from rolling out its planned digital number plate system in January 2026.
VEMAG argued that DVLA’s decision to award both manufacturing and embossment rights to a single company, OMEL, sidelines other licensed embossers and violates the existing framework.
The association insisted that the rollout of digital plates should be halted until the court determines the merits of the case.
VEMAG warned that the DVLA’s actions could have severe socio-economic consequences, noting that its members collectively employ over 3,000 workers nationwide.
The association further expressed concerns that the public could be inconvenienced at the start of the year if vehicle registrations and plate issuance are disrupted.
The plaintiffs claim that members were required to acquire specialised embossment equipment costing between GH¢70,000 and GH¢1 million per unit and that they have historically pre-financed plate production before receiving payment from the DVLA.
The legal battle has heightened tensions between DVLA and embossers, with VEMAG accusing the Authority of attempting to monopolise the industry, while DVLA maintains it is simply enforcing a valid contract.
SA/MA
DVLA boss hits back at VEMAG over cancellation of alleged contract
