Public Relations Manager of the Driver and Vehicle Licensing Authority (DVLA), Francis Asamoah Tuffour, has urged Ghanaians to exercise strict due diligence before purchasing vehicles, stressing that failure to do so could lead to dire consequences.
Speaking in an interview on Adom FM’s Dwaso Nsem following the Economic and Organised Crime Office’s (EOCO) recent investigations, Mr Tuffour warned that neglecting proper checks is “like gambling with your money and reputation.”
He recalled his personal experience in 2017 when he attempted to purchase a car in Tema. Before finalising the deal, he contacted the Criminal Investigations Department’s (CID) INTERPOL Unit to run background checks.
“They wrote to the US for verification, and the feedback confirmed the same details I had before I bought the car. That gave me confidence,” he explained.
According to him, buyers who skip such checks risk discovering too late that the vehicle is stolen.
“If it turns out the car belongs to someone else, not only have you wasted your money, but your image will also be dented,” he said.
Mr Tuffour emphasised that unless one is buying a brand-new car or purchasing from a credible automobile company, background verification should never be downplayed.
He further explained that the DVLA itself conducts verification processes before registering vehicles.
“When you bring your car to DVLA, we contact Customs to confirm ownership before issuing registration, number plates, and roadworthy documents,” he noted.
Drawing an analogy, he likened car purchases to banking.
“I have never seen anybody who goes to the bank and leaves his money with the security man to deposit for him. In the same vein, you should not entrust such huge investments, whether it is GH₵20,000 or GH₵40,000, to just anyone,” he advised.
Mr Tuffour added that the DVLA is available to assist the public with the necessary checks before transactions are completed.
“We know people work hard for their money. Protect it by verifying ownership before you buy a vehicle,” he cautioned.
The warning comes as EOCO investigates whether a vehicle linked to dancehall artiste Shatta Wale was fraudulently acquired.
Source: Gertrude Otchere
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