The recurring gridlock along the busy Accra–Kumasi corridor is once again pushing the issue of a national towing policy back into public debate.
This is because road users and transport experts point to broken-down vehicles as one of the major causes of the persistent traffic congestion on the very important route.
The highway, a critical economic lifeline linking Accra and Kumasi, has in recent months experienced worsening traffic delays, with motorists frequently stranded for hours. A significant contributor, according to observers, is the increasing number of faulty or abandoned vehicles left on the road for extended periods without prompt removal.
Amid the frustration and desperation of commuters and drivers, building and construction engineer, Ing. Abdulai Mahama, in an interview with The High Street Journal, noted that while the idea of a structured towing system is not new, its implementation has long been undermined by poor communication and public resistance.
He referenced the earlier attempt by past governments to introduce a national towing levy, which was an initiative that was intended to fund the rapid removal of disabled vehicles from major roads.
The policy, however, was met with strong backlash from the public, many of whom viewed it as an additional and unnecessary financial burden. The resistance ultimately forced authorities to withdraw the levy.
However, years after the withdrawal, the problem the policy sought to address has not gone away. If anything, it has intensified.
Ing. Mahama argues that the current situation presents an opportunity for a reset. He believes that the government can take advantage to reintroduce the policy with proper public education and clarity.
According to him, road users already pay various fees tied to vehicle ownership, including insurance and roadworthiness charges. Integrating a transparent and well-explained towing component into these existing systems could make the policy more acceptable.
“I have spoken countless times on that particular item, where initially, it was the government that wanted to introduce a towing policy. But I think they couldn’t communicate it well. I don’t think it stops this current government from enhancing education so that we understand that the reason why we have to pay a certain quota when we are going to do our roadworthy, when we are going to insure our vehicles, and all that,” he noted.
More importantly, he stressed the operational necessity of the programme. For him, the presence of strategically positioned towing trucks along known accident-prone and high-traffic sections of the highway is non-negotiable.
He maintains that without a system that guarantees the swift clearance of broken-down vehicles, he believes congestion will remain a recurring issue.
The renewed calls for a towing programme, therefore, go beyond policy. They reflect a growing urgency to address a visible and costly inefficiency on one of Ghana’s most important highways.
