Private Vehicle Testers Seek Machine Checks, Fairer Revenue Share

The Association of Ghana Private Vehicle Testing Stations (AGPVTS) is demanding that the government adopt machine-based vehicle testing across the country. They also want a review of the current money-sharing plan. The association says this plan is unfair. It is hurting the ability of private testing centers to operate.

Robert Adomako, the Chairman of AGPVTS, stated that the Driver and Vehicle Licensing Authority (DVLA) must move quickly. They need to stop manual vehicle checks. Automated systems should take over. This will make roads safer. It will also help reduce accidents.

Mr. Adomako spoke at the association's inauguration in Kumasi. He called machine-based testing the most dependable way to check if vehicles are safe to drive. "Our main goal is to stop road accidents," he said. "We want to make sure only safe cars are on our roads. We ask the government to switch from manual checks to machine testing."

He explained that human inspections are not reliable anymore. They can be inconsistent. They can also be influenced. "We can't rely only on people's opinions. Technology offers accuracy," he stated. "Manual tests have problems with consistency. Fatigue can affect them. Sometimes, they can be compromised. These issues put lives in danger." The AGPVTS is also enforcing stricter rules for its members. They are warning against giving roadworthy certificates to cars that are not safe. This practice weakens road safety efforts.

Beyond safety concerns, many private testing stations are facing financial trouble. Members blame an unbalanced revenue-sharing system. Sampson Asiamah, a member, explained that testing stations get a small part of the fees. The testing stations do the actual work of checking vehicles. "The current system leaves testing stations with very little money," he said. "This is not enough to cover operational costs."

The fee for testing a motorcycle is GHS 104.25. Private testing stations only receive GHS 11 from this amount. Out of this GHS 11, they must pay 10% to the DVLA. They also pay Value Added Tax (VAT). Asiamah noted, "Many stations are finding it hard to stay in business." He added that recent increases in roadworthy charges by the DVLA have not led to higher payments for the private stations.

"This is not fair," Asiamah argued. "If the charges go up, the stations doing the testing should get more money too." The association is calling for a complete review of how revenues are shared. This is to make sure private operators can survive financially. They also want to keep safety standards high.

The DVLA first allowed private companies to test vehicles in 2012. This was under the Driver and Vehicle Licensing Authority (Private Vehicle Testing Station) Regulation, 2012 (L.I. 2192). The goal was to ease congestion at public testing centers. It was also meant to improve efficiency in vehicle inspections nationwide. The current system involves a significant fee structure where private stations receive a small fraction of the total charges. This makes it difficult for them to cover their expenses and invest in necessary upgrades.