The Private Vehicle Test Stations (PVTS) Association, Ghana, has officially been inaugurated with a call on the government for continued collaboration and support towards ensuring safety on roads.
The Chairman of the association, Robert Adomako, who made the call, said the success of the association depended on a strong, coordinated approach, where policy, enforcement and private sector participation worked in harmony.
“Let us move beyond fragmented systems and build a unified, efficient, and transparent vehicle inspection regime”, he said at the ceremony to inaugurate the association in Kumasi in the Ashanti Region.
Decongest
The Driver and Vehicle Licensing Authority (DVLA), as part of its efforts to decongest vehicle registration and inspection in Ghana, contracted the PVTS to enhance its processes of inspection and testing of vehicles.
The decision was taken under the given mandate of the DVLA (Private Vehicle Testing Station) Regulation, 2012 (LI 2192) and Road Traffic Regulation 2012 (LI 2180), which became operational in 2012.
Mr Adomako said the association could not demand recognition from government and the public if they did not first hold themselves to the highest standards, saying “every certificate issued must be credible and every inspection conducted must be thorough”.
“This is how we build legitimacy, earn trust and influence policy towards growth and development of the sector for the benefit of all,” he added.
Inconsistencies
He said the issue of vehicle roadworthiness in Ghana had, sometimes, been undermined by inconsistencies, inefficiencies, and, in some instances, a deficit of public trust and noted that those were not challenges that could be ignored, but were obstacles that must be confronted head-on.
For his part, the association’s Secretary, Bernard Oppong, urged the leadership of the Ghana Private Road Transport Union (GPRTU) and other transport unions to encourage their members to test their vehicles to safeguard the lives of users.
He said: “The reason why PVTS exist is to help test the roadworthiness of vehicles towards ensuring public safety.
In the end, we will enjoy the peace and safety we desire on our roads”.
Concerns
During an open forum, some members of the association raised concern about the indiscriminate siting of private vehicle test stations close to each other; a development that continuously affects their operations.
Similarly, they urged the DVLA to educate the public about the fees charged for them to know how much both the Private Vehicle Test Stations and DVLA earn after a service had been rendered, among others.
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