CETSED said the proposed integration of advanced technology into the tolling framework signifies a pivotal step forward in modernizing infrastructure financing.

In a statement, the Country Director, Okatakyie Kofi Asante, said the initiative will enhance operational efficiency and significantly reduce congestion at toll booths, allowing for smoother and more expedited travel for motorists.

“We acknowledge the substantial potential for increased transparency in toll collection processes, which will help diminish human error and mitigate the leakages that have historically undermined the effectiveness of the system.

“Such transformative measures are essential for fostering public trust and ensuring that toll revenues are effectively utilized for the betterment of our roadways,” portions of the statement read.

CETSED noted that by harnessing advanced digital solutions such as mobile payment options, electronic cards, and automated tolling systems, Ghana’s road infrastructure financing can be significantly modernized.

“This approach not only enhances compliance but also has the potential to attract vital private-sector participation. Nonetheless, we strongly urge the government to carefully consider the concerns voiced by civil society organizations (CSOs) and transport stakeholders during the previous rollout of the Electronic Levy (E-levy),” the statement added.

However, CETSED raised concerns about the fate of Persons with Disability (PWDs) who were formerly toll collectors at booths nationwide.

“During the abrupt cessation of road tolls in 2022, these dedicated workers were dismissed with little to no clear communication regarding their prospects.

“As we transition into a more technologically advanced toll collection system, the government must formulate a comprehensive plan for the reintegration and reemployment of these individuals. We must ensure that they are not neglected in the shift toward modernization,” CETSED urged.

CETSED has therefore called on the Ministry of Roads and Highways, in conjunction with the Ministry of Finance, to urgently address the challenges faced by the disabled workforce.

Read the full statement below:

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According to CETSED, the decision follows a successful stakeholder engagement, which it has been advocating for, adding their cry and that of Ghanaians have not fallen on deaf ears.

“Road accidents caused by broken down vehicles along the roads and the major highways in the country continue to take precious lives and cause physical and emotional damage to Ghanaians.

“The Road Towing Levy is a bill that must be enforced as the principle of Regulation 103 to 105 of L.I.2180 promote safety on our roads as well as ensures that state institutions charged with the responsibility to ensure safer road transportation are well resourced.

“CETSED as a leading civil society organisation in transport after several deliberations with transport stakeholders; private and public, organisational and individual, has noted that the cost of the levy may be a challenge.

“But many have raised concerns on how the law will have in place a sanction regime that will ensure that vehicle towing companies that will be engaged across the country can be punished severely if their actions and inactions especially when disabled vehicles are left on our highways beyond the regulated time of an hour to two to cause accidents.
Stakeholders have further called for the accountability and probity of the bill.

“The alarming 11% of road crashes caused by disabled vehicles on our major highways will be reduced drastically if not entirely and at least for the sake of just a life that will be saved with the implementation of these sections of the law,” it said.

In view of this, CETSED in a statement stressed it will not relent in the pursuit of the full implementation of one of Ghana’s most beautiful laws that have been shelved because of political expediency and lack of proper education of citizens on the importance of L. I 2180.

The statement has also called on the Ministry and its agencies to take the issue of explaining the importance of the law to the citizens very seriously.

“We have already taken note of several gaps in the PR strategy adopted so far by spokespersons of the National Road Safety Authority and wish to advise that a serious public education must be embarked on across the length and breadth of Ghana.

“Just limiting it to media interviews and stakeholder engagements may not help the process and may lead to another rejection by the citizens as happened in 2017,” the centre appealed.

After careful deliberations and considerations, CETSED proposes that the bill must be criminalised to foster accountability on the part of the towing company and the driver or owner of the broken-down vehicle.

“If the driver or owner of a broken-down vehicle refuses to report the broken vehicle as stated by the law and it causes an accident, the driver or owner of the vehicle should be punished.

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“Punishment should be stiffer as the law states in the form of fines, compensation to the victims, and jail time,” it added.

CETSED strongly believes that this approach of criminalising the bill would benefit all parties involved and bring some level of accountability which most Ghanaians are genuinely advocating for.

“If a towing company refuses to tow a broken-down vehicle two (2) hours after it has been reported to them and it causes an accident, they should be fined, compensation should be paid to the victims of their negligence, a possible jail time and their license should either be suspended or revoked depending on the gravity of the accident caused,” the statement urged.

This is aimed at creating breast cancer awareness at lorry terminals and commercial buses across the country.

Speaking at the Launch of the Event in Accra on Monday, the Country Director of CETSED, Kofi Asante, explained that the Driver and the Breast Cancer Initiative is aimed at supporting the global campaign against breast cancer using our public transport drivers as key advocates.

He added that the daily interactions with the general public and trade women more importantly were the reasons for using the drivers as key advocates.

“This is historic because different organisations with different advocacy and aspirations have decided to come together for a common cause. The cause to stop the spread of breast cancer using the transport,” Mr Asante emphasised.

The Country Director further noted as part of the campaign drivers will be trained on basic knowledge of the disease to equip them to execute the task assigned to them which he said includes educating the women and showing documentaries on breast cancer in their vehicles.

The President of the CETSED, Mr Hamilton Biney Nixon, stressed that: “We decided to partner this campaign because we are a human-centered organisation, hence the need for drivers to come on board, especially as October, which is breast cancer month, approaches.

“We are more than capable to effectively use our road transport as key point of advocacy for the continuous awareness creation geared towards saving the lives of our women as well as ensuring safer roads for users and keeping our roads of the needless daily carnage,” Mr Biney emphasised.

He, therefore, expressed CETSED’s commitment towards ensuring that the partnership yields the desired results.

On her part, the President of Breast Care International (BCI), Dr Beatrice Wiafe Addai, disclosed that the breast cancer mortality rate in Ghana is very high, hence the campaign to help curb the rate of the disease.

According to her, lack of awareness for the breast cancer situation in Ghana is making the situation worse maintaining that early detection and treatment through this Driver and Breast Cancer campaign can change the narrative.

She, however, stressed that the collaboration will go a long way to reduce the mortality and the stigmatisation that is associated with the disease.

“What the country needs is the sustained awareness creation for breast cancer and the cancers using high occupancy commercial bus drivers as key advocates in our quest for passenger safety and good health for meaningful contribution to socio-economic growth,” Dr Addai stressed.

She added, “that the drivers are those who carry the women from point A to point B so if they know about the awareness creation they will educate the women.”

The Breast Cancer Advocate further noted that lot of women travel so showing documentaries in commercial buses would help intensify the breast cancer campaign.

She said the BCI/CETSED Breast cancer campaign is the major initiative to headline this year’s Breast Cancer campaign Month which comes off in October.

Dr Addai later commended the media for their publicity support in the breast cancer campaign since 2002 when she formed the Breast Cancer International till now.

“I want to thank the media in Ghana for how far you have moved with us. What you do, I always say that you save women from breast cancer,” Dr Addai said.

The project seeks to train and educate people in the transportation chain on breast cancer and also screen about 10,000 commuters.

It has been scheduled for October in Accra and Kumasi in commemoration of the annual breast cancer month themed getting the men involved.

The project is designed to focus on expanding the frontiers of CSO’s activism in the transportation and health sectors for the betterment of the people of Ghana.

The partnership, according to both organizations, has become necessary to help fight and reduce breast cancer incidence in Ghana especially, amongst female traders who are mostly at risk of the disease.

BCI was founded in 2002 by Ghana’s first female general surgeon to combat breast cancer, Dr. Beatrice Wiafe Addai.

In 2015 BCI screened 21,407 women which form 16% in its peak month.

CETSED, is also a nonprofit organization that researches, evaluates and plays major advocacy role in transportation issues as part of its social impact projects

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The forum brought together stakeholders in the trade, shipping and haulage industry to deliberate on major issues related to the Iransportfield and how those challenges could be tacked.

The programe was themed: Discussing free days and demurrage and its impact on prices of goods.

It saw all participants pinning forces to enhance their activities and most importantly ensure a downward review of the current shipping line charges.

Addressing the gathering, the Director of CETSED, Kofi Asante, clarified that CETSED live is meant to provide a platform for discussing issues in the transport sector.

“This platform ladies and gentlemen is not a fault-finding platform but largely a solution finding platform as stated already.

“The theme for this first of the many CETSED LIVE is ‘FOCUS ON GHANA PORTS’ and our conversation today as pertaining to our seaports is dwelling on the perceived exorbitant charges of the shipping lines that are operating in Ghana,” he said.

He added: “I am almost certain that at the end of today, CETSED LIVE, government and the key players in this sector of the economy will have a certain understanding of the need to have a look at what is ultimately affecting the prices of basic imported goods on our markets and bring relief to the importers of these commodities and poor Ghanaian who is already burdened with many economic challenges.”

Present at the forum were the Ghana Union of Traders Association, Ghana Shippers Authority, and the Importers and Exporters Association.