Bold claim: Digital number plates could cost Ghana over 3,000 jobs if rolled out by DVLA in January 2026. That’s the core issue VEMAG wants readers to question, and the debate only heats up from here. And this is the part most people miss: a digital transition doesn’t have to mean unemployment if the transition is managed with inclusive planning and retraining.
The Vehicle Embossment Association of Ghana (VEMAG) has voiced serious concerns about DVLA’s plan to introduce digital number plates in January 2026, warning that thousands of livelihoods could be jeopardized in the process. While VEMAG isn’t opposing digital plate technology itself, the group emphasizes the need for thorough consultation to protect workers in the embossing sector.
Spokesperson Jojo Bruce Quansah explained, “We’re not anti-digitalisation. We’re ready to grow alongside the changes if the DVLA and the Ministry of Transport organise seminars and hands-on workshops to upgrade our team’s expertise in vehicle numbering.” This captures a willingness to adapt, provided there’s a clear pathway for trained employment.
Yet Quansah criticized the DVLA for excluding VEMAG from the planning table, noting that the association has longstanding expertise in the embossing process but has received no details about the equipment specifications or plate dimensions that will guide the transition. He added that DVLA’s team has not released information on the machines to be purchased or the exact plate sizes, leaving embossers uncertain about how to prepare.
Efforts to secure a meeting with DVLA’s Chief Executive, Julius Neequaye Kotey, have so far gone unanswered. VEMAG argues that meaningful inclusion in the rollout is essential to ensure a smooth shift to digital plates while safeguarding thousands of sector jobs.
To buy more time for broad stakeholder engagement, VEMAG has urged postponing the rollout to the first half of 2026. This delay would create space for dialogue, training, and planning that could reconcile digital innovation with employment stability.
