MPs demand tougher action against container trucks carrying unsecured loads

Members of Parliament have called for stricter enforcement of road safety regulations to curb the growing practice of transporting containers on low-bed trailers without adequate securing mechanisms, warning that the situation continues to endanger lives.

The lawmakers said the increasing number of containers falling from moving trucks on major highways has resulted in fatal accidents, traffic disruptions, damage to public infrastructure and avoidable loss of life.

Contributing to a discussion on the floor of Parliament, the Member of Parliament for Bibiani-Anhwiaso-Bekwai, Bright Asamoah Brefo, described the trend as a major national safety concern, saying ordinary commuters and roadside traders are paying the price for the negligence of some transport operators.

“Our citizens are being buried in their cars. Innocent families, commuters in trotros, and roadside traders are being flattened into oblivion by falling steel boxes because a driver or a transport owner wanted to save five minutes at the ports,” he said.

Mr Asamoah Brefo referenced Regulation 52 of the Road Traffic Regulations, 2012 (L.I. 2180), which requires that all loads transported on vehicles must be securely fastened and arranged to prevent them from shifting, rolling, spilling or falling off while in transit.

He argued that weak enforcement of the law has contributed significantly to the increasing number of preventable road fatalities.

“Anyone who contravenes the said regulation commits an offence punishable by imprisonment, a fine, or both. Mr Speaker, we cannot sit in this august House, pass laws, and watch our citizens perish due to a blatant lack of enforcement,” he added.

The Member of Parliament for Wa West, Peter Lanchene Toobu, questioned why container trucks are able to travel from the ports through several security and regulatory checkpoints without officials ensuring that the containers have been properly secured.

“Why will you have a low bed and an articulated truck loading a container from the Tema Harbour or Takoradi Harbour, moving through various checkpoints—be they police, immigration, customs, axle weight—you can count them, to the point that people cannot see what is right and insist that the right thing must be done?” he asked.

He maintained that safety inspections should begin at the ports before vehicles are permitted onto public roads.

“Right at the loading point, what is supposed to be done must be done before the vehicles are allowed to move,” he said.

Also contributing to the debate, the Member of Parliament for Guan, Fred Agbenyo, called for the rigorous enforcement of axle load regulations, compulsory pre-trip inspections and regular maintenance of haulage vehicles.

According to him, every truck should undergo a comprehensive inspection before beginning its journey, including checks on tyre conditions and the fitness of drivers.

“There should be a strict enforcement of axle loading limits. Mandatory pre-trip vehicle inspections, that before any vehicle moves from the station, somebody ought to go in there and inspect the vehicles, inspect the tyres, and make sure that the driver is in good condition before they start plying the road,” he said.

Mr Agbenyo further expressed concern about the poor condition of many haulage vehicles operating on Ghana's roads, particularly the widespread use of worn-out tyres, which he said significantly increases the risk of accidents.

“Most of these vehicles, when you get close to them, most of the tyres are even worn out. In some cases, there are two tyres at the back, the inside ones are worn out, while the outside ones look good, and then they start plying the road,” he added.

The lawmakers are urging the Ghana Police Service, transport regulators and other relevant state agencies to intensify monitoring and strictly enforce existing road traffic laws to reduce container-related accidents and protect lives on the country's highways.