Government suspends mandatory towing levy

Accra, Aug.22, GNA - Government has decided to suspend the implementation of the mandatory towing levy which was scheduled to take-off from July 1,2017.

This followed extensive consultation between the Ministry of Transport and stakeholders in the transport sector.

A statement signed by Mr Kwaku Ofori Asiamah, the Minister of Transport, and copied to the Ghana News Agency on Sunday, said the decision to suspend the Legislative Instrument was to allow parts of the law to be review.

It said in 2012 Parliament passed Legislative Instrument 2180 (Road Traffic Regulations), 2012 which in regulation 102 (3) imposes a mandatory levy on all owners and persons in charge of motor vehicles, for the purpose of towing broken down or disabled vehicles on the road.

It said following the public outcry when the National Road Safety Commission announced plans to commence implementation from July 1, the government decided to review the law to achieve the following objectives:

i) Removal from the law the concept of a mandatory towing levy on all owners and persons in charge of motor vehicles or trailers.

(ii) The role of government in the provision of towing services and rather limit it only to licensing and regulatory service providers.

The statement affirmed government's commitment to ensure the removal of disabled vehicles on the road to prevent motor accidents.

GNA