NRSA Sets One-Month Deadline on Voxy Safety Probe
The National Road Safety Authority (NRSA) has given a Technical Working Group one month to assess the safety of converted Toyota Voxy vehicles currently being used as commercial taxis across the country.
The directive comes amid growing public concern over the increasing use of the minivans on long-distance routes. Many of the vehicles were originally imported as right-hand drive models and later converted to left-hand drive for operation in Ghana.
Announcing the timeline at the inauguration of the committee on Thursday, February 12, NRSA Director-General Abraham Amaliba assured the public that the process would be transparent and evidence-based. He said the Authority would act swiftly on the group’s recommendations once the report is submitted.
“We are giving you one month within which to present your report, and we’ll give ourselves two weeks upon receipt of the report to start implementing your recommendations. We are not going to take away anything from your recommendations,” Mr. Amaliba stated.
He emphasized that the findings of the Technical Working Group would be made public and used to guide regulatory decisions regarding the continued commercial use of the vehicles.
“You can be rest assured we will be transparent. We will walk the talk. As an authority, we are not going to cover anything,” he said.
The NRSA boss stressed that no decision, including a potential ban on Voxy vehicles for commercial purposes, would be taken without firm justification. According to him, the Authority is mindful of the economic impact any abrupt directive could have on operators.
“We do not want to be seen as destroying businesses. I could have just asked my Director of Compliance to draft a notice stating that, henceforth, the commercial use of Voxy vehicles is banned. I must have a valid basis to say that, but I do not, and doing so would amount to destroying or attacking someone’s business,” he explained.
The Technical Working Group is expected to examine safety standards, roadworthiness, and compliance issues before submitting its report to the Authority.
