The National Road Safety Authority (NRSA) has stated that Toyota Voxy vehicles currently being used for commercial transport in Ghana are operating unlawfully, pointing to both regulatory violations and safety risks.
According to the Authority, many of these vehicles are right-hand-drive and therefore do not comply with Ghana’s road regulations, especially for commercial operations. A technical working group assigned to evaluate the suitability of the vehicles reaffirmed this stance during their presentation of findings.
The committee concluded that the Toyota Voxy was not originally built for commercial transport and that modifications, particularly steering conversions – often fall short of required safety standards.
Executive Director of the NRSA, Abraham Amaliba, urged the Ghana Revenue Authority (Customs Division) and the Driver and Vehicle Licensing Authority (DVLA) to rigorously enforce the existing ban on right-hand-drive vehicles.
The Authority also cautioned the public against using such vehicles for transport, noting that their continued operation for passenger services breaches current laws.
Amaliba explained that while the vehicles are more suitable for short intra-city trips, they are increasingly being used for long-distance travel across the country, which raises safety concerns.
He further highlighted issues such as altered vehicle height, which affects balance, and the use of unsuitable tires for local transport conditions.
The NRSA added that it will engage relevant stakeholders in the coming days to finalise and implement the committee’s recommendations, with plans to enforce the measures within two weeks.