Mandatory towing to remove broken-down, stationary vehicles from roads to begin in 2027 — Transport Minister

The government will introduce a mandatory towing regime in 2027 to remove broken-down and stationary vehicles from roads and help reduce crashes linked to such vehicles, Transport Minister Joseph Bukari Nikpe has announced.

Under the new arrangement, vehicle owners will be required to subscribe to towing companies or obtain towing packages through their insurance providers.

Mr Nikpe made this known in a speech read on his behalf at the opening of the 2026 Logistics and Transport Conference and Annual General Meeting of the Chartered Institute of Logistics and Transport (CILT) Ghana at Fiapre in the Bono Region on Tuesday.

The 3-day conference, held on the theme, “Transforming Ghana's Transport Infrastructure for Inclusive and Sustainable Growth,” brought together stakeholders in the transport and logistics sectors to discuss the future of Ghana’s transport infrastructure and the need for a safer, more inclusive and sustainable system.

Mr Nikpe said broken-down and stationary vehicles had become a major road safety concern and required a more effective mechanism to deal with them.

He explained that under the new system, motorists whose vehicles broke down would contact their subscribed towing service, which would then dispatch the nearest available towing vehicle.

The Minister said the service would be supported by a technology-enabled platform similar to ride-hailing applications, but designed specifically for towing services.

He expressed optimism that the system would significantly reduce incidents involving vehicles left stranded on roads and contributing to crashes.

The planned regime follows previous attempts to introduce mandatory towing services, which faced public opposition, particularly over proposals for a compulsory towing levy.

The government subsequently reviewed the policy and considered alternative arrangements involving private towing companies and insurance providers.

Mr Nikpe said the new framework would promote competition in the towing industry, with companies required to register with the National Road Safety Authority (NRSA) before they could operate under the regime.

He said the government would engage towing operators in the coming days to outline the requirements and operational framework for the new system.

The Minister stressed that the arrangement had been designed to prevent the monopoly concerns that characterised the earlier towing initiative.

He added that any company with the capacity to provide towing services would be eligible to participate once it met the stipulated requirements.

The government, he said, would also undertake a nationwide public education campaign before the implementation of the new law.

Call for Inclusive Transport System
National President of CILT Ghana, Alhaji Mohammed Saaka Damba, called for a transport system that deliberately caters for persons with disabilities (PWDs).

He said despite the enactment of laws and Ghana’s commitments under international agreements to protect the rights of PWDs, accessibility remained largely absent from the design of public transport infrastructure.

Push for Rail and Inland Water Transport

Global Chairperson of Women in Logistics and Transport (WiLAT), Dr Doreen Owusu-Fianko, called for increased investment in railways and inland watercourses to ease pressure on the country’s roads and reduce carbon emissions.

She also advocated investment in electric buses and stronger intra-city public transport systems to reduce dependence on conventional commercial minibuses, popularly known as trotros.