The Director-General of the National Road Safety Authority (NRSA), Abraham Amaliba, has clarified that no directive has been issued banning the use of Toyota Voxy vehicles for commercial purposes, contrary to widespread media reports.
Speaking on Joy FM on Thursday, Mr Amaliba explained that a report presented to the authority on Wednesday was purely an internal submission and does not constitute a public directive.
“No ban has come. Yesterday was just a presentation of reports. One report presented to me does not mean I issue it to the public. How can we issue it to them?” he said.
His comments follow media publications on April 8, 2026, which suggested the NRSA had outlawed the commercial operation of Toyota Voxy vehicles and was set to enforce the ban within two weeks.
Committee Proposals, Not Policy
The reports stemmed from a final report submitted by a 12-member Technical Working Committee, chaired by Dr. Godwin Kafui Ayetor of the Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology (KNUST). The committee, which included representatives from Toyota Ghana, the Driver and Vehicle Licensing Authority (DVLA), and the Ghana Standards Authority, was tasked with examining the rising frequency of crashes involving the vehicle.
Key recommendations in the report include:
· Strict enforcement of the ban on importing right-hand drive vehicles under Section 58 of the Customs Act.
· Action against the use of private number plates for commercial operations.
· Limiting Voxy vehicles to intra-city transport only.
· Ending the conversion of vehicles from right-hand to left-hand drive.
Further Consultations Needed
While Mr Amaliba noted he personally agreed with the committee’s findings, he stressed that broader stakeholder consultations are required before any formal directive can be issued.
He pointed out that key institutions – including the Customs Division of the Ghana Revenue Authority, the Ghana Standards Authority, and the Police Motor Traffic and Transport Department (MTTD) – were not fully engaged during the committee’s work.
“They have not consulted Customs. They have not consulted the Standards Authority. They have not consulted the MTTD,” he said, adding that the report will be forwarded to these bodies for input and enforcement within their respective mandates.
Industry Pushback Dismissed
Transport operators have already protested the proposals. On April 8, the Commercial Transport Operators of Ghana described the recommendations as “a lazy and ill-conceived approach” that could bring hardship to operators, calling instead for improved driver training and better roads.
Mr Amaliba dismissed the operators’ concerns, insisting they misrepresented the committee’s work.
“Their letter is out of place. It is immaterial. It is irrelevant. It does not speak to what we did yesterday. There is no complete ban,” he said.
Existing Vehicles May Face Restrictions
Mr Amaliba indicated that while no ban is imminent, the authority will intensify enforcement of existing laws, particularly those governing right-hand drive imports. The committee found no evidence of ministerial approval for over 7,000 Toyota Voxy vehicles currently registered in Ghana.
He stated that existing vehicles may be allowed to continue operating but could be restricted to intra-city transport. Enforcement would involve the MTTD deploying personnel on inter-city routes, with sanctions for non-compliance.
“Those that are already there, limit them to intra-city transport. That is why we are recommending Voxy to be intra-city,” he said.
