Four Garages Approved To Do Vehicle Inspection

The Ministry of Transport has given approval for four private garages to start vehicle inspection on a pilot basis for four months with effect from Wednesday, June 1, 2011.

The sector Minister, Alhaji Collins Dauda, gave the directive during an inspection of two garages in Accra to familiarise himself with their state of equipment, standard and readiness for operation.

According to Alhaji Dauda, the four-month trial period would provide the opportunity for the garage operators, the Driver and Vehicle Licensing Authority (DVLA), transport operators and the government to study the challenges that might arise, so that they could be redressed for the privatisation of garages nation-wide.

The minister expressed worry about the way the garages had been left idle over the past four years as a result of technical challenges after the owners had invested heavily in the project.

He, however, commended the operators for their desire to help reduce the spate of road accidents, emphasising that a large chunk of those accidents occurred mainly as a result of faulty and mechanical challenges facing vehicles.

Alhaji Dauda indicated that to ensure safety and security on the country's roads, private garages could provide an avenue for the evaluation of vehicles before they were purchased.

The Chief Executive Officer of the DVLA, Mr Justice Amegashie, said his outfit had licensed BIVAC International, VITO S Class Services, Ben Sam Services Centre and SPC Servicing Centre as the four major centres in Accra to provide services for the general public.

The General Manager of BIVAC, on behalf of the managers of the other three service centres, expressed profound appreciation to the government and the Ministry of Transport for the opportunity.

According to him, paying monthly allowances to a staff strength of over 35 for no work done was a strain on the resources of the centres and he was optimistic that the opportunity offered them by the ministry would open new avenues for them in their areas of operation.