A Member of Parliament for Abuakwa South Constituency in the Eastern Region,  Dr. Kingsley Agyemang, has raised serious legal and public safety concerns following the Driver and Vehicle Licensing Authority’s (DVLA) decision to suspend the proposed new vehicle number plate system, which was scheduled to take effect on January 1, 2026.

In a statement issued on December 29, 2025, Dr. Agyemang acknowledged that the suspension was appropriate, noting that it followed concerns raised in Parliament over institutional preparedness, inadequate stakeholder consultation and the absence of required amendments to the Road Traffic Regulations, 2012 (L.I. 2180). He also referenced a High Court injunction granted on December 23, 2025, restraining the implementation of the new system.

However, the MP expressed alarm over a directive accompanying the suspension, which allows vehicles currently using Drive from Port (DP) and Defective Vehicle (DV) number plates to continue operating “until further notice.”

According to him, this directive conflicts with provisions of the Motor Vehicles (Third Party Insurance) Act, 1958 (Act 42).

Dr. Agyemang explained that the law requires every motor vehicle used on a public road to be covered by a valid third-party insurance policy to protect innocent road users in the event of accidents involving death, injury or property damage.

He noted that DP and DV plates are temporary and conditional in nature, with insurance cover typically limited in duration and scope pending inspection and full vehicle registration.

As such, he warned against their prolonged or indefinite use on public highways.

The MP further pointed out that sections 10 and 11 of Act 42 impose a statutory obligation on insurers to satisfy judgments awarded to third parties against insured drivers.

These protections, he said, only apply where a valid insurance policy exists at the time liability arises.

“Permitting vehicles to operate without valid and effective third-party insurance defeats the purpose of the law and exposes the public to uninsured road use, uncompensated victims and avoidable litigation,” he stated.

Dr. Agyemang also stressed that sections 16 and 17 of the Act criminalise the use of vehicles on public roads without valid insurance documentation, adding that administrative directives cannot override statutory obligations.

He warned that allowing continued use of DP and DV plates without proper legal and insurance regularisation undermines Ghana’s compulsory motor insurance regime and places motorists, passengers and pedestrians at unacceptable risk.

The MP has therefore called on the Minister for Transport to urgently intervene by regularising the status of DP and DV plates in compliance with the law, ensuring that no vehicle operates without valid third-party insurance, issuing clear policy direction to the DVLA to prevent uninsured road use, and safeguarding public confidence in vehicle registration and road safety regulation.

He also urged the National Insurance Commission to enforce strict compliance with insurance requirements, stressing that compulsory motor insurance exists to protect the public and should not be compromised by administrative uncertainty.