Ablekuma North MP brings licensing services to Kwashieman as DVLA expands network from 33 to 65 in less than two years

The Member of Parliament for Ablekuma North, Ewurabena Aubynn, has facilitated the establishment of a 24-hour Driver and Vehicle Licensing Authority (DVLA) ultra centre at Kwashieman, as the Authority races to achieve its target of 40 additional offices by the end of 2026.

The facility, commissioned on Wednesday, October 28, 2026, brings essential vehicle registration and driver’s licensing services closer to residents, sparing many the inconvenience of travelling outside the constituency to access them.

The intervention comes as the DVLA records a major expansion of its nationwide network, growing from 33 offices in January 2025 to 65, following the establishment of 32 additional facilities in less than two years.

Chief Executive Officer of the DVLA, Julius Neequaye Kotey, said the Authority needed eight more offices to meet its target of 40 additional facilities by the end of the year.

“We have done thirty-two. We have eight more. If we are able to do forty this year, we’ll be happy,” he said.

Mr Kotey commended Ms Aubynn for providing and furnishing the Kwashieman facility, crediting her persistent engagement with the Authority for helping bring the project to fruition.

“Your MP is a very hardworking member. She doesn’t let you sleep. Every day the calls keep coming — when will you come and commission an office for me?” he said.

The new centre will operate 24 hours a day, with staff working in three shifts: 6 a.m. to 2 p.m., 2 p.m. to 10 p.m., and 10 p.m. to 6 a.m. Vehicles registered at the facility will carry the prefix KM.

Aubynn demands jobs, quality service

Addressing the gathering, Ms Aubynn said the centre represented a practical response to residents’ needs, stressing that development was not limited to roads, schools, hospitals and drainage systems but also included making essential public services accessible.

“For years, our people have had to travel outside the constituency to access certain essential services like this. So having this DVLA facility here, right in the central point of the constituency, is certainly welcome,” she said.

She urged the DVLA to prioritise employment opportunities for local residents and ensure efficient, respectful and dignified service delivery.

“What matters most is not just having a beautiful facility but how well it serves the people of Ablekuma North and beyond,” she stressed.

She thanked the DVLA management and the Ablekuma North Municipal Chief Executive, Adamu Musa Kalamu, for supporting the initiative.

Technology drive, warning against middlemen

Beyond the physical expansion, Mr Kotey outlined plans to introduce instant printing of replacement driver’s licence cards to reduce delays, noting that the Authority currently had only two printing machines nationwide.

Other initiatives include road safety studios at DVLA offices, digital international driving licences and vehicle permits verifiable abroad, a vehicle number-plate manufacturing facility, and radio-frequency identification (RFID) plates to help authorised security agencies access vehicle registration information in real time.

He said the Authority had registered more than 7,700 excavators at the ports to help security agencies identify their owners when the equipment was discovered at illegal mining sites.

Mr Kotey also warned motorists against intermediaries known as goro boys, urging customers to deal directly with authorised DVLA personnel and pay only prescribed fees.

He called on municipal authorities and the police to act against middlemen operating at the facility, warning that the DVLA could close the centre if the practice persisted.

Meanwhile, Mr Kalamu cited other development projects in the municipality, including a three-storey building to augment health-centre facilities, six-unit and 16-unit classroom blocks, and markets, with additional projects expected to be commissioned before the end of the year.

The Kwashieman centre adds to the DVLA’s nationwide drive to bring public services closer to citizens, with eight additional offices needed to achieve its 2026 expansion target.