Commercial transport unions in Ghana have fiercely rejected a ruling by the National Road Safety Authority (NRSA) to prohibit Toyota Voxy vans from carrying fare-paying passengers, calling the action misguided and a threat to people’s livelihoods.
In a statement, the Commercial Transport Operators of Ghana (CTO) slammed the Authority’s position, arguing that a total prohibition fails to fix road safety problems. “The decision to ban the Toyota Voxy for commercial purposes is a lazy and ill-conceived approach,” the group said, asking the NRSA to reverse its directive and hold talks with sector players.
The operators insisted that the Toyota Voxy remains a popular and dependable vehicle in the transport industry, warning that the order could severely hurt numerous drivers and their households who rely on it to earn a living.
They urged the NRSA to instead prioritise driver sensitisation and retraining, such as running road safety workshops to raise driving standards.
The group also asked authorities to roll out focused safety measures on high-risk corridors and tackle root issues like poor road conditions, which they claim are major causes of accidents. The backlash follows an NRSA order declaring that Toyota Voxy vehicles run for commercial service are breaking the law due to rule violations and safety risks.
According to the NRSA, many of these vans are right-hand-drive and fail to meet legal standards for Ghana’s roads, especially for hire. A technical committee also found the vans were never built for commercial haulage, and that steering conversions often fall short of approved safety benchmarks.
Nonetheless, the transport unions maintain that the NRSA’s stance reveals a poor grasp of the industry, vowing to take every necessary action to defend their members’ interests.
