This is in spite of calls by the public for the law to be scrapped.

In a Citi News interview, Mr. Osei-Owusu argued that, the policy is in the supreme interest of road users after research showed that a huge number of road accidents are caused by broken down vehicles.

[contextly_sidebar id=”DWvVJZbc9zOwrth4ZMu3vH6MQRXQeJKp”]The National Road Safety Commission (NRSC) is expected to begin a nationwide towing programme in July 2017, to ensure that all vehicles that breakdown on highways are cleared off the roads.

For this reason, drivers are required to pay a road safety fee ranging between GHC 10 and GHC 200 in addition to their road worthy certification fees.

Commercial vehicles and taxes will pay GH¢40, mini buses will pay GH¢80, while heavy duty trucks will pay between GH¢80 and GH¢200 annually, depending on their tonnage. Non-commercial vehicles are expected to pay GH¢20. The Road Safety Management Services Limited (RSMSL) has already acquired some 118 trucks ahead of the implementation, for the exercise.

But several persons have kicked against the policy calling on government to scrap it immediately. A former President of the Ghana Institution of Engineers (GhIE), Ing. Magnus Lincoln Quarshie, says the approach is a total rip-off.

But Osei-Owusu, who once headed the Driver and Vehicle Licensing Authority (DVLA), insisted in an interview with Citi News’ Duke Mensah Opoku that the counter arguments are not tenable.

“Your car may never have to be towed but you can run into a vehicle that is disabled. Sometimes we are just parochial; we discuss the issue only on one side. What you are discussing is not your vehicle; it is the risk to road users. The risk that a broken down vehicle possesses is not to only the driver but to everyone who plies the road,” he stated.

He urged that the arguments should revolve around the dangers that such broken down vehicles could cause to human lives.

“Anytime there is a disabled vehicle on the road, there is a risk to the life of every road user. So if we don’t focus on removing the risk to the road and we focus on how much will it cost, who is doing the work, we’ll  be missing the problem. It’s my vehicle that has broken down, and during the time, I don’t have money and it will genuinely happen to many people.”

The 1^st Deputy Speaker who was a lead discussant during the formulation of the policy in 2011, said initially the policy was to charge only heavy duty truck owners, but it was later extended to other categories of vehicles in order to create a pool of funds for undertaking such programme.

“When it comes to the heavy duty truck owners that were the main reason we changed the rule to making a contribution to a pool; because they explained legitimately that they carry the load, but they are not paid. The charges are paid to their owners so anytime they are on the road they have small amount of money for their personal expenses. When you observe, anytime those vehicles break down, you find that their owners come with mechanics because the drivers are not holding the money there. So if you leave it to them, the disabled vehicles will not be towed and other road users’ lives will be in danger,” he added.

“In 2011, every stakeholder was involved. All the driver unions in Koforidua, where we finalized the document were involved. Myself and Osei Prempeh were the lead discussants. All the driver unions were represented.  At the time, the controversy was whether to pay the entire amount to the operator or hold it and pay when they discharge services. Your car may never have to be towed but you can run into a vehicle that is disabled,” he reiterated,

Meanwhile, the Roads and Transport Committee of Parliament is currently locked up in a meeting with the Road Safety Commission, the DVLA and other stakeholders over the matter.

According to the Ranking Member on the Committee, Governs Kwame Agbodza, the committee wants to probe the issues surrounding the implementation and possibly recommend the recall of the Legislative Instrument supporting the fee.

Some MPs including the Deputy Minority Leader, James Avedzi Klutse, had earlier called for the policy to be scrapped following the reactions.

But Osei Wusu said the critics lack understanding of the issue.

“That is what politicians do; jumping on bandwagon…sometimes I think that some politicians are too hasty. If you ask them to go deep into the matter they have not even considered all the issues. As far as I’m concerned it is a risk to everybody.”

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By: Godwin Akweiteh Allotey/citifmonline.com/Ghana
Follow @AlloteyGodwin

The post Mandatory towing fee criticisms baseless – Osei-Owusu appeared first on Citi 97.3 FM - Relevant Radio. Always.

[contextly_sidebar id=”ergGWDoAcu1YbtPdZ7Loe40IcJzSlxHE”]Speaking on Citi FM’s News Analysis and Current Affairs program, The Big Issue, Mr Casely Hayford suggested that the program is an unnecessary arrangement implemented on an individualistic basis to benefit only persons whose vehicles break down along the road.

“This is a totally unnecessary arrangement. I am not prepared to be forking out money so that someone who is careless enough to leave their truck by the roadside makes me pay for it to be towed. I pay my insurance as an individual person and if I have to make a claim on my insurance company, I go and make my claim,” he said.

Last month, National Road Safety Commission announced that effective July 1, 2017, vehicle owners and motorcyclists will be made to pay a compulsory annual fee, tied to the acquisition of road worthy certificate, to cater for towing services of disabled vehicles.

Following the announcement, many have criticized the decision, describing it is as unfair.

Others have suggested that the National Road Safety Commission (NRSC) rather adopts ‘pay-as-you go’ service to allow disabled vehicles owners pay for the towing service.

Speaking on Citi FM’s News Analysis Programme, The Big Issue, Casley Hayford sided with those kicking against the move, saying  his anti-corruption group, Occupy Ghana will take up the matter to “stop it,” if it is not scrapped.

“If it doesn’t get stopped, this is an Occupy Ghana fight. We will stop it. This is enabling a particular individual to benefit from us,” he told host of the show, Umaru Sanda Amadu

‘Halt mandatory towing fee program’

The Deputy Minority  Leader, James Avedzi Klutse, had also backed calls for the implementation of a mandatory vehicle towing fee to be halted.

He had argued that since majority of Ghanaians who are targets of the program are kicking against it, it should be withdrawn.

“[The move should be suspended, since] the genuine and good citizens will be paying for recalcitrant citizens who do not want to obey the law…If it gets to the implementation and everybody is against it then it should be withdrawn,” he said.

But Roland Walker, the Communications and Marketing Manager for Road Safety Management Services Limited (RSMSL), one of the five (5) companies awarded the contract to execute the program has defended the move, arguing that mandatory fees will protect road users from road accidents.

Under the program, drivers will be required to pay a road safety fee, ranging between GH¢ 10 and GH¢ 200, in addition to their road worthy certification fees.

Commercial vehicles and taxes will pay GH¢40, mini buses will pay GH¢80, while heavy duty trucks will pay between GH¢80 and GH¢200 annually, depending on their tonnage.

Non-commercial vehicles are expected to pay GH¢20.

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By: Jonas Nyabor/citifmonline.com/Ghana

The post Mandatory towing fee “unnecessary” – Casely Hayford appeared first on Citi 97.3 FM - Relevant Radio. Always.

According to him, the initiative raises too many questions, and it is also a total rip off, hence must be halted while further deliberations are held.

“As a Road Safety Campaigner, the idea to remove abandoned vehicles on our roads is indeed a laudable one. I am however strongly against how this very good ‘idea’ is to be implemented and wish to advise that the directive be suspended and thoroughly debated in order for it to achieve the desired results,” Ing. Quarshie, who is also a transportation engineer said in a statement.

[contextly_sidebar id=”y9SjfyCi475WHUlqy0GCanPVWNYLI7tX”]“Also, this ‘fee’ raises a lot of questions as to why a state organization, will raise funds to support ‘a’ particular private business. To the best of my knowledge, towing service is not a novelty in this country, and there are a lot of towing companies operating in the country. How then does the state organization justify signing a contract with just one towing service provider for the whole of the country when there are equally competent towing companies around? How was the selection process conducted? And was it competitive?

The NRSC is expected to begin a nationwide towing programme in June 2017, to ensure that all vehicles that break down on highways are cleared off the roads.

Drivers are required to pay a road safety fee, ranging between GHC 10 and GHC 200, in addition to their road worthy certification fees. Commercial vehicles and taxis will pay GH¢40, mini buses will pay GH¢80, while heavy duty trucks will pay between GH¢80 and GH¢200 annually, depending on their tonnage. Non-commercial vehicles are expected to pay GH¢20.

Some 118 trucks have been acquired by Road Safety Management Services Limited (RSMSL), the private company contracted by the NRSC for the national towing service.

The Head of Communications at the NRSC, Kwame Kodua Atuahene, in an interview explained that, the move is geared towards reducing the risk of road users running into stationary vehicles; a trend which is responsible for over 20% of all road accidents in the country.

But Ing. Quarshie in the statement further said “…to suggest Ghanaians pay various sums of money ranging from GH¢10.00 –GH¢200.00 is a total rip off in my opinion.”

“The best practice as pertains in other jurisdictions has been that, a legislation is usually passed for vehicle owners to be registered with a tow garage usually through their insurance providers. All broken down vehicles which are not removed within stipulated time is then removed by the state and the owners surcharged. This approach ensures that the regulations on the removal of broken down vehicles are properly enforced by making the owner and the insurance companies directly responsible without undue burden on state agencies. This will also encourage Ghanaians to set up businesses for that purpose,” he noted.

The NRSC initiative is backed by an Act of Parliament.

Click here for Ing. Quarshie’s full statement:

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By: Godwin Akweiteh Allotey/citifmonline.com/Ghana
Follow @AlloteyGodwin

The post Suspend towing fees; it’s total rip off – Engineer to gov’t appeared first on Citi 97.3 FM - Relevant Radio. Always.