Overloading of haulage trucks costs Ghana $271m annually – Minister

The overloading of vehicles, especially haulage trucks is said to be costing the country millions of dollars in terms of road rehabilitation. Overloading is said to sometimes damage the roads.

A GNA report cites Mr Joe Gidisu, Minister of Roads and Highways, in a speech read on his behalf by his deputy saying a recent study reveals that overloading costs the country about $271 million annually in terms of road rehabilitation

He was speaking at a ceremony where a consortium of six banks presented 149 trucks worth $20.8 million to Global Haulage Company Limited in Accra July 13, 2011.

Mr Gidisu says 3.6% of all road accidents were caused by freight vehicles out of which 17% were loaded, the publication reports.

He noted that the Ministry was enforcing the law on axle load limits with monitoring of haulage activities on critical sections of the road network.

By Ekow Quandzie