NRSA findings on Toyota Voxy use ‘bogus’

Commercial transport operators have rejected the National Roads and Safety Authority’s (NRSA) declaration that using Toyota Voxy vehicles for commercial purposes is illegal, raising questions about the credibility and accuracy of the Authority’s report.

The pushback follows NRSA’s announcement on Wednesday, April 7, that Toyota Voxy vehicles being used for commercial transport operate outside the law due to regulatory breaches and safety concerns, particularly their right-hand-drive configuration.

David Agboado, Public Relations Officer for the Commercial Transport Operators Union, strongly criticised the findings, saying they do not reflect the realities of the transport sector. Speaking on Eyewitness News on Citi FM on Thursday, April 9, he described the decision as “bogus” and argued that the research lacks credibility and failed to involve key stakeholders.

“The research that they themselves claim to have conducted, to us, is not credible. They have not done any proper research; it is something they simply thought through and put down on paper, because the people who were supposed to be involved in the research are we, the transport operators,” he stated.

Agboado further suggested that the timing of the report may be an attempt to divert public attention from an upcoming increase in transport fares driven by rising fuel prices.

Meanwhile, NRSA maintains that its directive is based on safety and regulatory compliance. The Authority insists that many Toyota Voxy vehicles currently in use do not meet legal requirements for commercial operations in Ghana.

This position is supported by a technical working group tasked with assessing the vehicles’ suitability, which concluded that their continued commercial use poses potential risks to road users.