The Commercial Transport Operators of Ghana have strongly rejected the National Road Safety Authority’s (NRSA) directive banning the Toyota Voxy from commercial passenger transport, describing the move as poorly conceived and calling on the Authority to withdraw it immediately in favour of engagement with industry stakeholders.
In a press release dated April 8, 2026, the group criticised the Authority’s stance, arguing that a blanket ban is not the solution to addressing road safety concerns. “The decision to ban the Toyota Voxy for commercial purposes is a lazy and ill-conceived approach,” the group stated, urging the NRSA to reconsider its position and engage industry stakeholders.
The group’s National Chairman, Asonaba Nana Wiredu, warned that the directive would cause significant hardship for drivers and their families who depend on the vehicle for income, and called instead for driver education programmes, safety seminars, targeted measures for high-risk areas, and attention to underlying factors such as poor road infrastructure.
The operators maintained that the Toyota Voxy remains a widely used and reliable vehicle within the transport sector, warning that the directive could negatively impact many drivers and their families who depend on it for income.
The pushback follows a formal declaration by the NRSA’s Technical Working Committee on Wednesday, which found that the Toyota Voxy presented an unacceptable road safety risk due to widespread unregulated conversions from right-hand drive to left-hand drive and use of the vehicle beyond its design specifications. The committee also found that the importation of right-hand drive Voxy vehicles into Ghana contravened Section 58 of the Customs Act, 2015, Act 891, which prohibits such imports without ministerial approval, with no evidence of approval for the more than 7,257 Voxy vehicles currently registered in the country.
The NRSA said it would begin implementing the committee’s recommendations immediately in collaboration with key stakeholders. The Driver and Vehicle Licensing Authority (DVLA) confirmed it would no longer register Voxy vehicles for commercial purposes, while the Ghana Police Service’s Motor Traffic and Transport Department (MTTD) pledged to enforce the restrictions. Authorities also warned that garages carrying out unauthorised steering conversions face the risk of closure and prosecution.
The Commercial Transport Operators of Ghana indicated they would resist the decision and take all necessary steps to protect the interests of their members.
