Ghana launches West Africa’s first smart drivers' license today

The Driver and Vehicle Licensing Authority (DVLA) will today, Tuesday, November 7, 2017, begin issuing smart drivers’ licenses across the country.
Vice President Dr Mahamudu Bawumia will launch the new Smart Drivers’ License that has been touted to be among the most secured in the world.
Director in charge of Driving Training, Testing and Licencing at the DVLA, Cheyuo Wienna Musah, says the card will be West Africa’s first.
 
The new digital card will fast-track the acquisition of new drivers’ licenses as applicants will now be able to obtain it within two to four weeks of application.
The digital drivers’ licence is part of government’s target to remove the human interface from the process of issuing new licencing.
Middlemen, popularly called “gorro boys” have been blamed for making the acquisition of new licences a chaotic process.
Furthermore, the digital card is expected to improve dwindling revenue from the DVLA.
The smart drivers’ licence has a contactless chip to promote good storage of bio-data and personal driver information.
It will also make use of the latest technology for secure ID printing that can be easily integrated with other systems of the DVLA.
Benefits of New Vehicle Registration Smart Card.
It is expected to enhance the vehicle registration process because application and processing could be done online.
It simplifies the transfer of ownership of motor vehicles registered in another jurisdiction and eliminates to compose transfer letter(s).
It enables frontline officers of the Authority to determine the information of vehicle owners during the registration process in cases where vehicles were previously registered in another jurisdiction.
Acquiring the new drivers’ license will attract an additional Gh₵91 separate from the present charges on all other services including replacement (Gh₵64 + Gh₵91 = Gh₵155), new license (Gh₵166 +Gh₵91 = Gh₵257) and transferring a foreign license to Ghanaian one (Gh₵364 + Gh₵91 = Gh₵445).