Africa-Press – Ghana. The National Road Safety Authority (NRSA) on Thursday inaugurated an 11-member Technical Working Group to determine whether Toyota Voxy vehicles are safe and suitable for commercial passenger transport in Ghana.
The vehicles, originally manufactured as right-hand drive (RHD) and later converted to left-hand drive (LHD) after importation, had reportedly been involved in several road crashes.
Mr Abraham Amaliba, the Director-General, NRSA, said public reports suggested that some of the converted vehicles might have exhibited handling and stability challenges, particularly at high speeds and on curves.
He explained that the Technical Working Group would investigate whether the crashes were due to mechanical defects arising from the conversion process or attributable to human factors, road infrastructure, or environmental conditions.
“Your terms of reference cover four areas, the first being to assess the engineering integrity and safety implications of converting Toyota Voxy vehicles from right-hand drive to left-hand drive,” Mr Amaliba said.
“The second mandate is to evaluate the suitability of such vehicles for commercial passenger transport on Ghanaian roads.”
The remaining tasks include analysing crash data and road safety trends involving Toyota Voxy vehicles and making evidence-based recommendations.
These may include regulatory reforms, enhanced safety requirements, operational restrictions, and other measures to safeguard the public.
“Delve deep into the issues because your report will determine how we treat these vehicles as commercial transport. Ensure that we do a thorough job,” the Director-General said.
The Working Group has four weeks to submit its report, after which the NRSA will implement the recommendations within two weeks of receiving it.
The Group is chaired by Dr Godwin Kafui Kwesi Ayetor of the Department of Mechanical Engineering, KNUST.
The members are Mr Daniel Easel (Ministry of Transport), Mr MacMillan Prentice (Ghana Standards Authority), and Ing. Samuel Owusu Kwarteng (Driver and Vehicle Licensing Authority.
The others are Mr Eric Sanam Ahiabla, Toyota Ghana Limited, Mr. Clement Kubakwana (Chartered Institute of Logistics & Transport), Nana Annor Amihere II (Road Safety Advocacy Ghana), Chief T.T. Nortey (Yetron Services), and Mr Emmanuel Ohene-Yeboah (Ghana Road Transport Coordinating Council).
The rest are Mr Alex Ayata (Director, Research, Monitoring and Evaluation, NRSA), and Mr Kwame Koduah Atuahene (Director, Regulatory, Inspectorate and Compliance Directorate, NRSA).
Dr Ayetor expressed confidence in the team’s ability to deliver within the stipulated timeframe.
“With the depth of experience among members, I have no doubt we will unearth all the issues surrounding the Toyota Voxy. Our recommendations will be evidence-based and beneficial to the country,” he said.
