Mr. Juliuys Neequaye Kotey, Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of the Driver and Vehicle Licensing Authority (DVLA), has proposed the regulation of ‘goro boys’ instead of pursuing them with law enforcement.
He believes it would be best to regularize their activities rather than constantly confronting them, as this confrontational approach has failed across successive governments.
Speaking on Frontline on Rainbow radio 87.5FM, Mr. Kotey indicated that instead of fighting these informal agents, they should be integrated into a regulated system to improve efficiency and transparency in the licensing process.
He then elaborated on his position:“I am not going to sack the ‘goro boys’. Don’t deal with them but I am not going to sack them. So listen to my concept. How is the activity of ‘goro boys’ different from the Ultra Centre.
The ‘goro boys’ overcharge. The Ultra Centre is well regulated and so they charge only Ghc100. So why don’t we regulate the ‘goro boys’ so that they can also charge within the means of the client?”
Addressing the humanitarian and enforcement aspects of the issue, he continued: “I am from the streets and I understand what it takes to be unemployed. So, should I sack them and always chase them with bullets? You can regulate them if you want to regulate them? What is impossible in this world? Now even women are being changed to men. We can regulate them. It is about policy. If anyone goes out the regulatory framework, you sack the person.”
He cited examples to validate his proposal, pointing to the existence of ‘goro boys’ at state facilities who have since been integrated as formal agents:
“My brother, at Tema Harbour, did we not have ‘goro boys’? Today, are they not agents? At the Airport, where they not ‘goro boys’ who are today agents? We fought them (‘goro boys’) under former President Rawlings, Kufuor, Atta Mills, John Dramani Mahama’s first term, and Akufo-Addo, and we have not succeeded. Are we going to continue to fight them? Why don’t we change the approach? I am a new brain getting into office with new ideas. We will change the approach and tomorrow, they would be agents, and we will be proud of them.”
By: Rainbowradioonline.cm/Ghana
