By Francis A. Tuffuor & Afia Darteh*
The anxiety and anticipation that precedes a visit to any of the Driver and Vehicle Licensing Authority (DVLA) offices to assess services would soon be a thing of the past following the introduction of the DVLA Express Mobile Service (DEMOBS).
DEMOBS, a flagship project initiated by the DVLA seeks to provide services closer to customers in the comfort and convenience of their locations.
It also extends to where DVLA does not have operational facilities to render the needed services required by clients.
How does it operate?
DEMOBS is led by an experienced Technical Manager who coordinates activities, together with other staff members, move in a state-of-the-art DVLA branded van to specific locations where they render services such as; acquisition of learner driver’s licence, renewal of learners’ driver’s licence, issuance of international driving permit, upgrade of driver’s licence, renewal of driver’s licence and replacement of driver’s licence, among others.
The services are available during week days between the hours of 9:00am and 4:00pm.
The service, which targets corporate institutions, tertiary institutions, organised Driver’s Unions and other recognised groups such as the Ghana Private Road Transport Union, is also catching up with communities such as Ellembelle in the Western Region, Afram Plains and Asamankese in the Eastern Region, Agona-Dunkwa in the Central region and many other areas.
How can one assess the service?
To access the service, institutions, group of persons, corporate bodies that request the services are to write to DVLA indicating the time, venue and date for the Authority to visit their location. To be eligible, there should be a minimum of 20 people available to access the services.
Since its inception, DEMOBS has brought a lot of relief to many as they access the services stress-free and with ease at their own time.
Benefit to clients
The introduction of the service has afforded workers who are unable to make time off their busy schedules to do so at their own convenience and at their own time.
It provides customer-focused services and saves customers from being exploited by illegal operators (goro boys and girls).
By this initiative, DVLA hopes to improve its service delivery and convince the public to patronise and provide feedback to enhance its effectiveness and efficiency.
DVLA remains a force to reckon with as a public organisation under Ministry of transport to promote good driving standards and ensure road worthiness.
The Authority’s focus is to ensure best practices for licensing drivers and vehicles to promote road safety and environmental sustainability, while pursuing integrity, excellence, professionalism and reliability in service delivery. Its vision is to become a reputable organisation with internationally accepted standards for driver and vehicle licensing.
Established in 1999 by an Act of Parliament (Act 569), the Authority has gone a step further in its schemes of operation by introducing a number of initiatives including state-of-the-art equipment to facilitate the printing of drivers’ licenses, state of the art data and customer centres, among others.
Francis Asamoah Tuffuor and Afia Darteh are with the PR Dept of the DVLA.
