The Ghana Private Road Transport Union (GPRTU) has lauded government’s decision to cancel the “controversial” and mandatory tow levy.

The government said in a statement that the cessation of the implementation of the policy originally scheduled to have started in July “follows extensive consultation between the minister for transport and stakeholders in the transport sector.”

According to the statement signed by the Minister of Transport Kwaku Ofori Asiamah, the government will review parts of the laws on the policy to achieve the following: “Removal from the law the concept of a mandatory towing levy on all owners and persons in charge of motor vehicles and trailers.”

Commenting on the development Robert Sabbah, the vice chairman of the GPRTU said the decision by the government is a step in the right direction.

“We appreciate that,” he told Accra-based Class FM Monday August 21, 2017, noting that the concept of towing disabled vehicles off the road is “laudable” but more needs to be done to carve an implementation mechanism that would be accepted by all without opposition.

In 2012, Parliament passed the Legislative Instrument 2180 [ROAD TRAFFIC REGULATIONS, 2012] which in regulation 102 [3] imposes a mandatory levy on all owners and persons in charge of motor vehicles, for the purpose of towing broken down or disabled vehicles on Ghana’s roads.