Government will not tolerate any interference in axle load enforcement irrespective of the political affiliation of the individual involved, Deputy Minister, Roads and Highways, Alhassan Suhuyini, has stated.
He said some enforcement officers were threatened, intimidated, or pressured when overloaded trucks were arrested for axle load infractions.
“These pressures sometimes come from powerful individuals, including truck owners and persons holding political or social influence, who attempt to interfere with lawful enforcement actions,” Mr Suhuyini stated this at a stakeholder engagement held at Tarkwa, in the Western Region, on Friday.
The event, organised by the Ministry of Roads and Highways through the Ghana Highway Authority (GHA) in collaboration with contractor, Gabriel Couto-Rango Consortium, sought to begin interventions to safeguard the Agona junction -Tarkwa road, a strategic transport corridor which supports mining, agriculture, timber haulage and general commerce in the Western Region.
It was on the theme “Protecting the road, protecting your business.”
Mr Suhuyini said the current level of destruction on Agona junction -Tarkwa road was not a normal wear and tear, but, an indication that excess axle loading was a major contributor to the rapid deterioration, pavement failure, frequent potholes and rising maintenance costs.
“Overloading leads to frequent repairs, traffic disruptions, increased vehicle operating costs, and heightened accident risks. This is why axle load enforcement must be understood as a road preservation and safety measure, not a punitive exercise,” he said.
Mr Suhuyini said the practice where law enforcement officers were threatened for doing their lawful duties undermined Ghana’s collective efforts on the axle load and preservation of the Agona Junction – Tarkwa road corridor.
He reiterated that interference were unacceptable and must stop, advising truck owners, operators, and influential persons to desist from such practices and rather support lawful enforcement of the rules.
The Deputy Minister said there were procedures and proper institutional channels to address issues, maintaining that axle load officers were public servants, who performed lawful state duties.
The Deputy Minister said “Any attempt to intimidate, coerce, or influence them to overlook infractions undermines the rule of law, weakens road safety, and accelerates the destruction of our national infrastructure.”
Mr Suhuyini told participants that government alone could not address the challenge, and explained that effective axle load control required cooperation, education and partnership and not intimidation or blame adding that “We build a shared commitment to protecting this vital corridor.”
He said the corridor was the lifeline to the economy including daily movement of people and goods in the Western Region, saying “when it suffers, business, livelihood suffers, while security and safety are compromised.”
FROM CLEMENT ADZEI BOYE, TARKWA
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