DVLA In Its Final Stages Of Integrating Its Database With NIA-Kwasi Agyeman Busia

The Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of the Driver and Vehicle Licensing Authority (DVLA), Kwasi Agyeman Busia has said the DVLA is in the final stages of integrating its database with the National Identification Authority (NIA).

Mr. Busia said the full integration with the NIA would be completed by the first quarter of 2023.

He also stated that the DVLA has already connected its technology infrastructure with the NIA database while working on fresh applications that would ensure that national identification cards are integrated into the system.

“The technology infrastructure is ready, tried, and tested. What needs to happen now is the application that we need to work. We have to do some coding on the application part to make sure that the systems are feeding into each other or handshaking so that once a person comes to DVLA and gives us their Ghana Card, we get every information about them,” he said.

Mr. Busia said a seamless integration between the DVLA and the NIA would also facilitate business with other stakeholder agencies such as the National Insurance Commission, the Motor Traffic and Transport Division, and the National Road Safety Authority.

He added many user agencies were negotiating with the DVLA to hook up to their database for ease of doing business, stressing also that the integration with the NIA would help to create a good data warehouse for real-time information on drivers and vehicles.

“With the integration, when you are trying to apply for a driver’s license, there is no need to sit in our offices for two hours to fill out forms. Once you give us your Ghana Card, we should be able to pull your data and make use of it,” he said.

Mr Busia said the authority had already digitized documents from 1995 to 2021 and was currently working on the 2022 records.

“We are more than 95 percent through with the digitization process, and we will be done by the end of the year so that when you come to us from the first quarter of 2023, we do not have to do any manual process.

Mr Busia said apart from the efficiency and reliability that came with it, digitized records were authentic and easier to work with.

He added that digitization would facilitate the DVLA’s goal to have vehicles registered within one hour.

He explained that the digitization of records would ensure that before any person visited the DVLA for any service, about 90% of the processes would have been completed online.

“It means that we could just type a person’s name and every vehicle you have owned and the history will be there,” he added.