The Traders Advocacy Group Ghana (TAGG) has called on government to immediately slash import duties on commercial vehicles by 50 per cent, blaming high taxes and restrictive fiscal policies for worsening vehicle shortages across the country’s transport sector.
According to TAGG, excessive import levies have made it increasingly difficult for private transport operators to replace aging vehicles or expand their fleets, leading to severe shortages in commercial transport services, particularly in major urban centres.
In a statement, the group said the high cost of importing buses and commercial vehicles has discouraged reinvestment by transport operators, while supply chain challenges in sourcing spare parts have further compounded the crisis.
TAGG noted that state-managed transport systems, including the Ayalolo Bus Rapid Transit, lack the fleet capacity to meet growing commuter demand, placing additional pressure on private operators who are already constrained by high import costs.
The group warned that the vehicle shortage has resulted in irregular fare hikes, commuter exploitation, and persistent delays affecting traders and workers whose livelihoods depend on timely mobility.
TAGG has formally petitioned President John Dramani Mahama, the Minister for Transport, and Parliament’s Select Committee on Transport to intervene through targeted tax relief measures, including duty remission on imported commercial vehicles and the creation of a spare parts import facilitation programme.
The traders argue that improved access to affordable commercial vehicles would help stabilise transport fares, increase vehicle availability as well as restore efficiency within the public transport system.
TAGG stressed that unimpeded transportation remains critical to economic productivity, cautioning that the current situation undermines national development efforts and risks further strain on urban commerce if left unaddressed.
