The Technical Working Committee of the National Road Safety Authority (NRSA) has declared the use of Toyota Voxy vehicles for commercial transport illegal, citing significant safety concerns linked to their design and widespread modifications in Ghana.
The directive follows an investigation into the increasing use of minivans as public transport, particularly after their conversion from right-hand drive to left-hand drive.
Presenting the committee’s final report in Accra on Wednesday, April 8, Chairman Godwin Kafui Ayetor described the situation as a major threat to passenger safety and called for urgent regulatory action.
He explained that the vehicle, originally manufactured for private family use, is not engineered for the demands of commercial transport, especially under Ghana’s road conditions.
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“The manufacturer informed us that the Toyota Voxy is a minivan designed for young middle-class families, not for commercial passenger use. It is not designed for high mileage and is intended for use on paved roads,” he stated.
Dr Ayetor noted that the vehicle’s limitations become more pronounced when used for long-distance or rough terrain operations, adding that more suitable alternatives exist.
“Once off-road conditions come into play, the recommendation is to use vehicles such as the Toyota Hiace, which are specifically built for commercial applications,” he said.
The committee found that many of the vehicles currently in operation have undergone extensive structural modifications, including alterations to suspension systems and tyres, often by unlicensed operators. These changes, the report noted, compromise vehicle integrity and increase the risk of mechanical failure.
“As part of the conversion, the suspension is altered, and the vehicle is raised. The tyres are also changed. However, the tyres that come with the Toyota Voxy are passenger tyres, not designed for high payload or high mileage,” he explained.
Beyond technical concerns, the committee identified what it described as a systemic breakdown in regulation, allowing such vehicles to be imported, modified, and used commercially without proper oversight.
“We observed a systemic regulatory breakdown, which has led to the proliferation of these conversions. These vehicles are often unlawfully imported, improperly converted, and operated as commercial transport, posing serious safety risks,” Dr Ayetor stated.
He warned that thousands of such vehicles may already be operating across the country without meeting required safety standards.
“We have allowed thousands of unlawfully imported vehicles to enter the country, be modified without standards by uncertified practitioners, registered without proper testing and inspection, and operated commercially despite private registration in some cases,” he added.
In its final assessment, the committee concluded that the continued use of the Toyota Voxy in its current form for commercial transport presents an unacceptable risk to public safety.
The committee has recommended stricter enforcement of existing laws, including a ban on the importation of right-hand drive vehicles, tighter regulation of vehicle conversions, and an immediate halt to the registration of such vehicles for commercial use. It also called for intensified public education and broader regulatory reforms to curb the misuse of private vehicles for passenger transport.
The NRSA is expected to review the recommendations as part of ongoing efforts to improve road safety and reduce accidents linked to vehicle defects and regulatory non-compliance.