Minister for Transport, Joseph Bukari Nipke, has instructed the Driver and Vehicle Licensing Authority (DVLA) and the Police to step up efforts to clear rickety vehicles from Ghana’s roads.
Speaking on Accra-based Citi FM, Mr . Nikpe stressed that no vehicle should receive a roadworthy certificate unless it undergoes proper inspection and meets safety requirements.
“As a government, we will need to sit down on getting rickety cars off the roads. I have had conversations with the DVLA that any vehicle that is not inspected properly should not be given a roadworthy certificate. But it goes beyond them. The police should come in and be able to take out that vehicle as well,” he said.
Mr. Nipke also warned against the activities of middlemen, commonly referred to as “goro boys,” who help vehicles obtain roadworthy certificates without genuine inspection.
To tackle this, he revealed that the government is expanding DVLA offices nationwide to increase access and curb such practices.
“DVLA should not give a roadworthy certificate to any vehicle when they have not seen it. If they have seen it and it is not roadworthy, it should not be certified,” he added.
On measures being taken by the state, the minister said government plans to bring in more vehicles to support public transport services in order to reduce reliance on unsafe cars.
“We should take it upon ourselves as a government to bring in more vehicles to support Metro Mass Transport, STC and others to be able to service more people. If they have the alternatives, they will not be moved to enter those rickety cars,” he stated.
Source : Adomonline
