Parliamentary C’tte approves controversial towing levy but...

Parliament’s Roads and Transport Committee has approved the controversial towing levy which was to start July 1, after consultations with stakeholders in the industry.

A section of the public was aghast at the decision to impose between Ghc 20-Ghc 200 on vehicle owners and motorcyclists during the acquisition of a road worthy certificate, to cater for the cost of broken down vehicles towed from the country’s roads.

The levy was to be charged every year but had to be shelved after the public backlash. The Road Safety Management Limited (RSML), which was to spearhead the exercise, said the 85 per cent levy to be accrued would be shared among four other companies, who are partners on the project.

But the committee said the decision to maintain the levy is because of the importance of the services that will be provided by the agents, especially with the spate of roads accidents broken down trucks cause on the roads.

“The committee, conscious of the high incidence of accidents on our roads and the danger posed by disabled vehicles to all road users, examined the contract and noted the obligations hereof imposed on the service provider.”

The service provider, according to the committee, is to work around the clock, provide ambulances equipped with paramedics, patrol the highways and major roads with motor bikes, provide a 24 hour multimedia call centre to receive reports of road related cases.

Also, the service provider is to provide “traffic control and management at critical areas in the country, and fully functional parking areas for storage of towed vehicles.

The committee also recommended for the levy not to be reviewed upward for the next two years, and also allocate 2.5% out of the 85% given to the service providers, to be given to the National Ambulance Services and that of the National Health Insurance Authority. 

“NRSC should submit to parliament a bi-annual performance report on the operations of the service provider through the Minister responsible for transport.”

Chairman of the Committee Samuel Ayeh-Paye also called for early implementation of the revised recommendations.