The Director-General of the National Road Safety Authority (NRSA), Abraham Amaliba, has addressed critics of its position on Toyota Voxy vehicles, stressing that public safety must take priority over complaints about job losses or inconvenience.
Speaking on Adom FM’s Dwaso Nsem morning show, Mr. Amaliba said, “Those who are saying we are destroying people’s work should understand that some people have even died as a result of accidents involving these vehicles. What happens to those who are dead?”
He stressed that the NRSA’s focus is on preventing road crashes and removing hazards from the roads.
“At road safety, we have to ensure that we reduce road crashes and remove any obstacles on the roads. If a car is repeatedly involved in accidents, and I am dealing with the matter, should I just blame people? No. I am here to protect lives,” he said.
Mr. Amaliba urged the public to exercise patience, explaining that the agency is not seeking to destroy livelihoods.
“We know some people brought the car to work, and we are not ready to destroy people’s jobs. But as long as I remain at NRSA, I will continue to protect lives. I won’t blink. I am only doing my work,” he added.
The NRSA boss also responded to personal attacks, saying, “I even like it when you insult me because that makes me sleep even more. I am poised on doing my job.”
His comments follow the NRSA’s declaration that Toyota Voxy vehicles used for commercial transport are illegal due to regulatory and safety concerns. Many of these vehicles are right-hand-drive, undergo unsafe steering conversions, and were not originally designed for commercial use.
Despite this, transport operators have argued that the directive disconnects regulators from industry realities and have vowed to protect the interests of their members.
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