Accra: The Board of the Driver and Vehicle Licensing Authority (DVLA) has appealed to the Government to intervene in the alleged sale of its former Accra Regional Office. The Board said the land, located within the Energy City enclave, was compulsorily acquired by the Government for redevelopment, prompting the relocation of the DVLA's Greater Accra Regional Office.
According to Ghana News Agency, a site inspection led by Mr. George Spencer Quaye, Chairman of the DVLA Board, on Monday revealed that the old office premises had been converted into a bonded warehouse and 'rented out' to a private entity. Speaking to journalists during the visit, Mr. Quaye expressed concern about the private occupation of the property, contrary to the original purpose of the land acquisition.
Mr. Quaye stated, "We have been informed reliably, concretely, the lands here that government compulsorily took for the Energy City project is now being sold to individuals, private individuals. When government takes a land for a specific cost and is unable to attend to that cost, what happens? The land must be reverted to its original owners. In this case, we haven't seen that."
The relocation of the DVLA Regional Office followed the Ministry of Lands and Natural Resources' redevelopment of the Energy City area, which affected several state institutions. The Ministry subsequently handed over a new office complex at Narhman, in the Ga East Municipality, to serve as the DVLA's new Greater Accra Regional Office.
However, Mr. Quaye disclosed that the new office and its land were not registered in the name of the DVLA, but rather in the name of a private developer. "As we speak, that office or that land is not in the name of DVLA. If we want it, we have to pay the private developer. Meanwhile, we have a land that can host us," he said.
Mr. Julius Neequaye Kotey, Chief Executive Officer of the DVLA, said the Authority would formally petition the Attorney-General, Special Prosecutor, and National Security for intervention. He stated that the DVLA would not relent in its efforts to reclaim the property and would "fight to restore the property of the Authority," he said.
