COPEC to hit the streets over controversial towing levy

Europa

August 2, 2017 9:55 AM

“They will collect this money at the expense of our lives. We will jump to the streets soon," COPEC has said.

The Executive Secretary of the Chamber of Petroleum Consumers (COPEC), Duncan Amoah has said his outfit will resist any attempt by the government to implement the controversial mandatory road safety levy.

According to him, COPEC will soon hit the streets to drive home their concerns.

Many kicked against the implementation of the levy in June this year and this compelled Parliament to refer the Legislative Instrument to the Committee on Roads and Transport of the House.

The Committee said it is satisfied with the content of the bill which is expected to commence on 1 September 2017.

READ ALSO: Controversial towing levy approved

The National Road Safety Commission had earlier indicated that the charges are to provide reliable towing service so that when vehicles are abandoned on the road, it can ensure that they are swiftly towed to prevent road accidents.

But Duncan Amoah believes that there is already a law that prohibits dumping of vehicles on the road without any proper warning signs.

“There is indeed some amount of safety already in the system. Unfortunately, the few recalcitrant drivers that will abandon their trucks in the middle of the road gets off. Nobody gets sanctioned. So it becomes a common practice…That clearly disputes the purpose of road safety. Because road safety for all of us is a personal responsibility. So if I don’t do the right I will kill you on the road. So the law should deal with me first before it deals with everyone else,” he told Accra-based Citi FM.

He further argued that the tow levy, if implemented, will rather encourage recklessness on the roads.

“They will collect this money at the expense of our lives. We will jump to the streets soon…because Ghanaians do not have enough money to waste; Ghanaians do not have enough money to spare,” he said.

Fees per year for both commercial and non-commercial vehicles, depending on tonnage, range from GHȻ10 to GHȻ200.

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