The Ghana Private Road Transport Union (GPRTU) has introduced a mandatory towing fee targeting 2.6 million vehicles for its members to help reduce road accidents.
The initiative, which would be implemented by Road Safety Management Services Limited (RSMSL), would ensure disabled GPRTU vehicles would be towed off the road for an annual fee.
Under the agreement, taxis would pay an annual fee of GHS 50, while minibuses (trotro) would pay GHS 80. Buses and heavy trucks would pay 300 GHS and 500 GHS respectively.
The GPRTU launched a mobile application (APP) on Tuesday, August 9, 2022, that would capture the details of all drivers and their vehicles and facilitate the operationalization of the service.
Mr Godfred Abulbire, the general secretary of the GPRTU, told the media that the union is targeting 2.6 million vehicles.
He said the towing fee became necessary as the number of road accidents increased, some of which resulted from abandoned disabled vehicles on the road.
He said the levy was mandatory for all drivers, adding that members who had not subscribed to the service would not be allowed to work at the union’s terminals.
He added that members who subscribed to the service would receive unique cards that would entitle them to benefit from the service.
“All of our members have to sign up through the app. They fill in their details (name, phone number, vehicle number and vehicle type) and then pay the fee… If the vehicle breaks down, they call a toll-free number and they will come and tow it,” he said.
Additionally, he said, “If a driver doesn’t subscribe to the app, we make sure they don’t get access to top up at all of our terminals.”
Superintendent Dr Samuel Sasu-Mensah, operations manager of the Ghana Police Service’s Motor Traffic and Transport Department (MTTD), welcomed the initiative and urged drivers to obey the rules of the road to reduce traffic accidents.
He said that between January and July this year, the MTTD recorded a total of 8,869 traffic accidents, in which 9,218 victims were injured and 1,433 killed.
“Of the total number of deaths recorded so far, 496 were professional drivers,” said Supt. Sasu-Mensa said.
Mr David Osafo Adonteng, Acting Director General of the National Road Safety Authority (NRSA), commended the GPRTU for turning to technology and contributing to efforts to reduce traffic accidents.
He said the agency will mandate the GPRTU before implementing any policy in the sector to ensure full compliance.
The government planned to introduce a mandatory towing fee in 2017, but the move was halted after widespread public outcry, particularly from transport companies who are now seeking to have it reintroduced.
The government said the suspension of the levy was to allow for broader consultation among stakeholders to secure their support.
