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The Ghana Committed Drivers Association (GCDA) has formally petitioned the Minister for Transport to stop what it describes as the illegal imposition of “spot fines” by the Driver and Vehicle Licensing Authority (DVLA), warning that it is prepared to take legal action if the practice continues.
In a 10 September 2025 statement signed by Chairman Charles Danso, the association accused the DVLA’s Compliance and Enforcement Unit of introducing charges it calls “delinquency fees,” which it says have no legal basis.
According to the GCDA, the DVLA in June 2025 published a notice titled “Roadside Checks Defects and Infractions Delinquency Fees and Charges,” claiming authority under Regulations 158 (1), (2), (3), (4) and (5) of the Road Traffic Regulations, 2012 (LI 2180). The notice announced a flat penalty of GHC225 for drivers deemed non-compliant with road traffic rules. The DVLA subsequently began nationwide public education and enforcement in the same month.
The drivers’ group argues that this fee constitutes an unlawful “spot fine.” The statement points to the Road Traffic Act, 2004 (Act 683) as the parent legislation and insists that “a careful reading of the various regulatory provisions… does not mandate the DVLA to impose by itself any fine whatsoever or howsoever called on non-compliant drivers.”
The GCDA said it has instructed its lawyers to write to the Minister for Transport demanding immediate action. The petition calls for:
- An order to the DVLA to cease and desist from imposing and collecting any delinquency fees or spot fines, describing the practice as “without any legal basis.”
- A directive to establish a transparent and accessible refund process for all monies collected since the compliance and enforcement exercise began.
The association has also served notice to the Attorney General that it will commence legal proceedings against both the DVLA and the state if its petition is not addressed promptly.
The GCDA, which represents thousands of commercial and private drivers across Ghana, says this action is part of its broader mandate to advocate for road safety and protect its members’ rights.
“The Ghana Committed Drivers Association is a body representing the interests of thousands of professional and private drivers across Ghana and has as part of its objectives the promotion and advocacy for road safety,” the statement concluded.
The GCDA maintains that until the DVLA halts the charges and refunds the collected sums, it will continue to push for legal remedies to safeguard drivers from what it calls an “unlawful financial burden.”
Read the attached press statement in full below:
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