A former DVLA Chief Executive Officer, Justice Amegashie, has recounted how a contract with Foto-X Limited for the production of driving licences became controversial after its value rose from $3.6 million to nearly $9.9 million.

In an interview with Kafui Dey on November 10, 2026, Amegashie, who signed the contract in August 2012, maintained that he sought and obtained approval for $3.6 million and did not authorise any change to the amount.

The Foto-X deal became a subject of investigation after questions were raised about the difference between the amount approved by the Public Procurement Authority (PPA) and the figure contained in the signed contract.

The former DVLA boss appeared before Parliament's Select Committee on Transport on November 10, 2015, to explain the discrepancy but could not account for how the figure had changed.

Now recounting the controversy, Amegashie said he first saw the US$9.9 million figure when officials of the Economic and Organised Crime Office (EOCO) showed him a signed contract document.

He said he immediately reported the matter to the Public Procurement Authority (PPA), but officials could not find the document.

“This is what I thought, but then, one time when I went to EOCO, they showed me that it's $9.9M. This is a document that has been signed. It looked like a genuine document. Then from there, I went straight to the Public Procurement Authority to report to one of the senior officers. They went looking for the document, but they couldn't find the document,” he said.

Amegashie explained that the PPA had been given a copy of the contract before it granted approval, making the failure to locate the document a source of concern.

He also questioned claims by some former DVLA management officials that they knew nothing about the contract, which was implemented between 2006 and 2009.

He argued that it was unlikely he would have handled discussions with the service provider alone when the contract was due for renewal without involving the management team responsible for its implementation.

“Is it possible that management who were implementing the contract from 2006 to 2009, when I took office, when the contract is about to expire or about to be renewed, I alone will deal with the service provider without management. Is that possible?” he asked.

He said officials responsible for the management information system, driver training, testing and licensing, finance and procurement had all denied knowledge of the disputed document when they appeared before EOCO.

Amegashie further questioned how the head of procurement, who served as secretary to the Entity Tender Committee, could claim not to have a copy of the committee's meeting minutes.

He said his concerns deepened after receiving an invitation from EOCO on June 7, 2014, and contacting the head of procurement to request the minutes.

“Then when I received the letter of EOCO on the 7th of June, 2014, I called the head of procurement and said that EOCO had invited me. Can you please give me a copy of the minutes of Entity Data Committee? He said he doesn't have it,” he recounted.

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He said the response raised suspicions that someone might have altered the contract amount from the $3.6 million he approved to $9.9 million.

“How could the secretary to the Entity Data Committee say that he doesn't have a copy of the minutes of the meeting that we attended? Alarm bells started going off in my head that no, it's possible he had changed the figure. That's why he's telling lies,” he said.

Amegashie maintained that he could provide evidence to establish who altered the figure, insisting that the facts would show whether he or someone still working at the authority was responsible.

“And I can give facts on the issue and that will establish whether it's me who changed the figure or somebody who is still working there,” he added.

The controversy dates back to a 2006 agreement between the DVLA and Foto-X Limited, which was expected to produce driving licences under a six-year arrangement. The agreement was structured as a turnkey project, meaning the company was expected to hand over the system and equipment to the DVLA at the end of the contract in 2012.

However, the authority entered into another 10-year agreement with Foto-X in August 2012, raising questions about the renewal and the amount stated in the new contract.

An EOCO investigation subsequently identified alleged overpayments and irregularities in the contract. The Attorney-General's Department later directed the DVLA to terminate the agreement and stop further payments to the company.

Watch his interview below:



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