Chairperson of Parliament’s Public Accounts Committee (PAC) and former Deputy Minister of Finance, Abena Osei Asare, has addressed her much-publicized exchange with the Chief Executive Officer of the Driver and Vehicle Licensing Authority (DVLA), Julius Neequaye Kotey, during a recent PAC sitting.
The heated moment, which went viral, stemmed from a disagreement over the DVLA’s plan to introduce new digital number plates with enhanced security features.
Speaking in an interview with Channel One TV on November 10, 2025, Osei Asare clarified that her tone during the session was not out of anger but a reflection of her responsibility to the Ghanaian public.
“I wasn’t angry, but when you’re in a position, you must live up to it. He came to tell us about new security features for number plates, and as PAC, our duty is to echo the concerns of Ghanaians,” she said.
“When we give you the platform to explain your work, it’s not about me or the Ranking Member—it’s about accountability to the people of Ghana.”
Asked whether the issue had since been resolved, she stated calmly:
“I gave him the opportunity to answer, and he chose to respond the way he did.”
The exchange, which took place on October 27, 2025, occurred as the Committee questioned the DVLA’s proposed Radio Frequency Identification (RFID)-enabled number plates, intended to improve vehicle tracking and prevent cloning or fraud.
Tension rose when Osei Asare pressed Kotey to clarify whether vehicle owners’ surnames would appear on the new plates.
“I’m asking a specific question—will the user’s surname appear on the number plates?” she queried.
Kotey replied, “We don’t put names on number plates… I was wondering why that question,” prompting a sharp retort from the PAC Chair.
“People pay for customized plates with their names, and you tell me you don’t put names on number plates? Haven’t you seen personalized plates with names? Yes or no?”
Osei Asare’s reaction drew mixed public responses, with some praising her for demanding accountability and others describing the exchange as overly confrontational.
Despite the heated moment, the PAC Chair insists her actions were guided by transparency, duty, and the need to protect public interest, emphasizing that leaders must remain firm when demanding answers that affect Ghanaians.
source: GhanaWeb
