The Driver and Vehicle Licensing Authority (DVLA) has refused to appear in court over an order restraining the authority from interfering in SPC Engineering and Transport Services Limited’s (SPC) operations.
The court action brought against DVLA came on the heels of an order issued by the DVLA, suspending all operations of SPC Limited over some allegations of poor management of service points, lack of coordination in testing activities, poor workflow and documentation processes, poor customer care or welfare and poor orientation of staff, and management as reasons of suspending SPC's services.
However, the defendant, which is DVLA failed to appear in Court, hence the Court granting the Plaintiff's (SPC) plea, in its writ where it appealed to the court to restrain the DVLA from interfering in its services.
It would be recall that this paper carried a publication under the headline, ‘DVLA DRAGGED TO COURT’ on Monday, April 13th 2015, where SPC Engineering and Transport Services Limited, a private car testing garage in the country had filed a writ at the High Court against the Driver and Vehicle Licensing Authority (DVLA) seeking an order to restrain DVLA from interfering in its operations.
On 9th April, 2015, the Chief Executive Officer of DVLA, Rudolph Beckley, signed the said letter of suspension, citing complaints from customers and enquiries from some government institutions as basis for the authority's action.
According to the letter, Management of DVLA decided to suspend SPC's services temporarily to enable the authority "effectively correct the anomalies in the operational activities at the testing facility."
The said letter also stated poor management of service points, lack of coordination in testing activities, poor workflow and documentation processes, poor customer care or welfare and poor orientation of staff and management as reasons for suspending SPC's services.
Meanwhile, management of SPC in a writ dated 17th April, 2015, served on DVLA, sought the court to grant an order for interlocutory injunction restraining DVLA from interfering with its lawful operations as a private car testing garage.
It also sought an order to restrain DVLA from publishing in the media any administrative matter relating to SPC.
In their statement of claim, SPC Engineering and Transport Services Limited said it was authorized by DVLA on 1st August, 2007, to operate as a car testing station at the GICEL Estate, Weija, in Accra, and that since 2011, it operated as such on behalf of DVLA without any hitches or queries even in the face of delayed payments from DVLA.
It however indicated that, management's attention was drawn to radio broadcasts to the effect that their services had been suspended by DVLA, and subsequently was served with a letter dated 9th April, 2015, with a caveat that the facility could only be permitted to resume operations when "all systems and arrangements of operations have been proved okay."
However, SPC Limited indicated that prior to the letter, it had neither received any complaint from any customer, State institution or DVLA about its operations, considering the action by the defendant (DVLA) to be in bad faith since contents of the letter was caused to be published in the media before they were served.
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