New Number Plate Delays Fuel Police Harassment of Motorbike Owners: Is the IGP Aware?

The ongoing delay in the issuance of number plates for newly registered motorbikes across Ghana has begun to create serious difficulties for motorcycle owners, particularly those who depend on their bikes for daily transportation and economic activities. While the problem appears administrative in nature, its consequences on the ground have become increasingly troubling, raising important questions for both the Driver and Vehicle Licensing Authority (DVLA) and the Ghana Police Service.

Across the country, many individuals who have lawfully purchased and registered new motorbikes are still waiting for their official number plates. The delay, according to various reports and administrative explanations, may be linked to a number of factors. Among these are the proposed transition to a new digital or security-enhanced number plate system, procurement and production challenges, and the need for regulatory approval from the Parliament of Ghana before the new system can be fully implemented.

If indeed the delay stems from awaiting parliamentary approval for a new number plate policy, then the situation requires urgent interim solutions. Unfortunately, the burden of this administrative delay is not being borne by the institutions responsible for it, but by ordinary citizens who have done nothing wrong.

In several parts of the country, new motorbike owners who have completed their registration processes have been issued with identification chips or electronic registration tags by the DVLA. These devices serve as proof that the motorcycles have been properly documented and are simply awaiting the official number plates.

However, the reality on the roads tells a different story.

Along major routes, particularly the Wa–Hamile highway, many of these motorbike owners report frequent harassment at police checkpoints and barriers. Officers often demand to see number plates which the riders cannot produce, not because they have failed to register their bikes, but because the DVLA itself has not yet issued the plates.

Even when riders present the identification chips issued by the DVLA as proof of registration, some officers reportedly insist on "payments" before allowing them to proceed. These unofficial payments, demanded under the threat of delay or intimidation, have become an additional financial burden on citizens who are already struggling with the cost of acquiring and registering their motorcycles.

This raises an important question: Is the Inspector-General of Police, aware of the difficulties that this delay is causing for legitimate motorbike owners across the country? If the IGP is aware, then his men must be restrained from what they are doing on the roads.

The situation calls for immediate coordination between the Driver and Vehicle Licensing Authority and the Ghana Police Service. If the issuance of permanent number plates cannot be done promptly due to policy or legislative delays, then a practical interim measure should be introduced.

One reasonable solution would be for the DVLA to issue temporary registration numbers or plates to newly registered motorbike owners until the official plates become available. Such a measure would allow riders to move freely without being subjected to unnecessary harassment at police checkpoints.

If this option cannot be implemented because of ongoing policy changes or pending parliamentary approval, then the responsibility shifts to the leadership of the police service. The Inspector-General of Police must consider issuing a nationwide communiqué clearly instructing officers to recognise DVLA registration chips or documents as sufficient proof of registration for newly acquired motorcycles.

More importantly, the police administration must firmly warn officers against collecting money from riders under such circumstances. Law enforcement should not become an avenue for exploiting administrative lapses within other state institutions.

Motorbike owners are not criminals simply because they are waiting for number plates that the system itself has delayed. The state cannot penalise citizens for a problem created within its own administrative structures.

Until the number plate issue is resolved nationwide, fairness, professionalism, and restraint must guide the conduct of officers on the roads. The public deserves protection and service from the police, not intimidation over matters beyond their control.

For now, the question remains: will the authorities act swiftly to address this growing concern before it further erodes public trust in both the DVLA and the police service?

The Trial News