The Chief Executive Officer of the Drivers and Vehicle Licensing Authority (DVLA), Julius Neequaye Kotey, has defended his proposal to formalize the operations of ‘goro boys’, the unofficial middlemen who facilitate vehicle registration and licensing services.
Speaking on the Citi Breakfast Show, Kotey argued that instead of continuously battling these informal agents, the government should integrate them into a regulated system to enhance efficiency and transparency within the licensing process.
A Call for Regulation, Not Elimination
According to the DVLA boss, efforts to eradicate the influence of these middlemen have failed over the years, making it necessary to explore a structured approach.
“Why don’t we regularize what they do? We have been fighting them for years, but the situation remains the same. Why don’t we bring them on board? I am not saying we need to employ all of them, but we have to regularize their operations,” Kotey stated.
Under this system, agents would have set limits on their service charges, preventing the exploitation of unsuspecting vehicle owners.
“As an agent, you won’t be allowed to charge beyond a certain amount. That is exactly what the ultra-centre is doing,” he explained.
Training and Clear Guidelines for Middlemen
Kotey further stressed that the formalization process would involve training these agents to ensure they operate within legal and ethical boundaries.
“We will train them so we can eliminate the practices we disagree with. There will be a clear-cut framework on what they can and cannot do, just like the way agents operate at the ports,” he added.
The proposal has already sparked debate, with some supporting the move as a way to curb corruption, while others argue it may legitimize a system that has long been criticized for exploiting vehicle owners.
