TEMA DVLA TO GET NEW OFFICES (PAGE 30)

Story: Rose Hayford Darko, Tema

A government-funded project has taken off in Tema to expand the facilities of the Regional Licensing Office of the Driver and Vehicle Licensing Authority to enable it to cope with the increasing number of applicants and increase the revenue base of the authority.
The Tema DVLA has for about 30 years operated in cubicles and temporary sheds, leading to loss in revenue and also created fertile grounds for unauthorised people to operate in their name.
The authority had no sign board directing people to its location, though it is situated in the busy industrial area, away from the road.
The cost of the project was not disclosed but work was in progress when the Daily Graphic visited the premises of the DVLA.
It was observed that a razor wire had been used to demarcate the various sections to prevent the interference of goro boys(intermediaries), who managed to find their way into the sections anyway.
The only corridor dividing the small cubicles serving as offices could not contain the queues of the applicants who had gone there to register their vehicles or to acquire licences.
When the Regional Licensing Officer, Mr Vincent W.Y. Appiah, was contacted, he disclosed that the situation would soon be solved because the project under construction was to make room for offices and to accommodate applicants as well.
Mr Appiah said it would also have facilities needed to provide convenient services for both the staff and the applicants.
He said on completion of the project, the revenue accruing to the Tema office would go up by a wide margin because many more applicants would be attracted to process their documents there.
With regard to the change of licences for computerised ones, Mr Appiah said it was very smooth, explaining that the authority had not encountered any difficulties.
He, however, said that priority was given to those whose licences had expired.
The site foreman of the project said the construction company had been given six months to complete the work.
He said work on the one-storey block was about 40 per cent completed and expressed the hope that it would be handed over before July 2008.
Some applicants the Daily Graphic spoke with complained about the time wasted on the premises and lack of direction to the offices.
This, they said, had created room for goro boys to operate.