Governance, particularly in matters that touch citizens at home and abroad, depends as much on clarity as it does on policy. When information travels faster than verification, institutions are often compelled to step in and draw a clear line between speculation and fact.



That was the case when the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Regional Integration moved to refute reports suggesting it had approved license registration services by the Driver and Vehicle Licensing Authority for Ghanaians living abroad.

In a statement issued on Thursday, February 26, 2025, the Ministry clarified that it had neither issued directives to its diplomatic missions nor granted approval for such services to be conducted by the DVLA overseas.

“The Ministry is not aware of any new government policy to that effect,” the statement emphasized.

It further stated that there is no record of a policy directive authorizing license registration activities in Ghana’s embassies or high commissions abroad.

“For the avoidance of doubt, there has been no formal engagement, no new policy brought to our attention and no financial commitment as irrefutable evidence at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs establishes,” the Ministry added.

The clarification sought to assure the public that due process, transparency, and financial prudence remain central to public service delivery.

The Ministry’s response followed a separate clarification issued by the DVLA on February 26, 2026, addressing what it described as misleading media reports. According to the Authority, it has no plans to station its domestic staff within foreign embassies.

Instead, the DVLA explained that it is collaborating with the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Regional Integration to extend selected services to qualified Ghanaians living overseas through Ghana’s diplomatic missions.

Under the proposed arrangement, eligible citizens domiciled abroad would be able to access services such as International Driver’s Permit issuance and driver’s licence renewals. The pilot phase is expected to roll out in the United States, Canada, Germany, the Netherlands, and the United Kingdom.

Crucially, the DVLA stressed that embassy staff, not DVLA personnel, would be trained to verify applicants’ documents. Verified applications would then be forwarded to Ghana for processing, after which completed documents would be returned to the respective embassies for collection.

The Authority underscored that no DVLA staff would be posted to work at embassies in the selected countries, contrary to earlier reports.

Management of the DVLA described the initiative as part of broader efforts to bring services closer to Ghanaians abroad, reduce defaults, and improve compliance with licensing requirements.

The episode highlights a recurring challenge in public administration: the gap that can emerge between policy intention and public interpretation. While the DVLA maintains that structured collaboration is underway, the Ministry’s position underscores that no formal policy shift has been officially sanctioned under its watch.

In matters involving international missions and public finance, institutional clarity is not optional. It is foundational.

For now, both institutions appear aligned on one point: the public deserves accurate information, clearly communicated, and grounded in formal policy — not assumption.



Source: https://3news.com/news/foreign-affairs-ministry-dismisses-claim-of-approving-dvla-licence-registration-services-abroad