Director-General of the National Road Safety Authority (NRSA), Abraham Amaliba, has criticised the Customs Division for failing to enforce laws banning the importation of right-hand drive vehicles, warning that the lapse is fuelling illegal conversions in the country.

Speaking on the issue, Amaliba expressed concern over what he described as weak enforcement of the Customs Act, 2015 (Act 891), which prohibits both the importation and conversion of right-hand drive vehicles.

“Customs is not helping us, and I don’t understand why. The law is clear, yet it is not being enforced,” he said, according to a report by adomonline.com on April 9, 2026.

His comments come in the wake of a technical committee report that has prompted the NRSA to consider restricting the use of Toyota Voxy vehicles for long-distance commercial operations over safety concerns.

Amaliba explained that many of these vehicles are imported as right-hand drive and later converted locally, a practice he described as unlawful.

He warned that garages engaged in such activities would face closure.

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“They change it from right-hand to left-hand. The garages that are doing this, we will close them down. Those operating here are engaged in illegality,” he cautioned.

While acknowledging that some conversions are carried out abroad before shipment, he insisted that local operators would still be targeted as part of enforcement measures.

To address the issue, the NRSA plans to collaborate with key institutions, including the Driver and Vehicle Licensing Authority (DVLA), the Ghana Standards Authority, the Police Motor Traffic and Transport Department (MTTD), and the Ghana Road Transport Coordinating Council.

“We will write officially and attach the report to all relevant bodies Customs, DVLA, Standards Authority, Police MTTD and ensure coordinated action,” he stated.

As an interim measure, Amaliba indicated that existing converted vehicles particularly Toyota Voxy models would be restricted to short-distance, intra-city operations.

He added that other vehicles, such as the Toyota Matrix, have also undergone similar conversions but are mostly used for ride-hailing services.

The NRSA insists that stricter enforcement, especially at the ports, will be critical to reducing the risks associated with such vehicles and improving road safety nationwide.

MRA/VPO

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