The National Road Safety Authority (NRSA) has announced a prohibition on the utilisation of Toyota Voxy vehicles for commercial transportation purposes, citing concerns regarding their safety on the nation’s roads.
According to Abraham Amaliba, Director-General of NRSA, this decision was based on findings from a technical working group assigned to assess the roadworthiness of converted Toyota Voxy vehicles presently operating as taxis.
During a press conference, Amaliba stated that the report highlighted significant safety concerns, necessitating immediate action to restrict the vehicle’s use for commercial purposes.
He further noted that authorities are working to halt the importation of these vehicles into the country and warned that garages involved in converting right-hand drive vehicles to left-hand drive will be shut down, with individuals responsible for such modifications facing potential prosecution.
Although a detailed directive is slated for release within the next two weeks, Amaliba emphasised that the decision to ban Toyota Voxy vehicles from commercial operations is effectively in place.
In the interim, operators have been advised to restrict the use of such vehicles to short-distance trips until the policy is fully enforced.
He also announced that NRSA is also working closely with the Customs Division to prevent the importation of both Toyota Voxy and Toyota Vitz models into Ghana.
An investigative report by the committee revealed that nearly 7,000 Toyota Voxy vehicles have already been brought into the country. The report concluded that the model is unsuitable for commercial transport due to safety risks.
Dr Godwin Kafui Ayetor, Chairman of the committee, presented the final report to the Director-General, highlighting the Toyota Voxy’s unsuitability for commercial transport due to its design for family use on paved roads, and urged urgent regulatory action.
By: Rainbowradioonline.com/Ghana
