The National Road Safety Authority (NRSA) has declared the Toyota Voxy unfit for commercial use in Ghana, warning that individuals operating the vehicle for passenger transport are doing so illegally.
The directive follows a report presented on Wednesday, April 8, 2026, by a technical working group tasked with assessing the safety and suitability of the vehicle. The review was triggered by the Voxy’s increasing involvement in road crashes and concerns over the conversion of right-hand-drive (RHD) models to left-hand-drive (LHD).
According to the report, the vehicle fails to meet both engineering and regulatory standards required for commercial transport, posing significant safety risks to passengers.
On engineering integrity, the report cited confirmation from Toyota Tsusho Corporation that the Voxy and Noah models are manufactured exclusively for the Japanese domestic market and are not designed in left-hand-drive variants. The company has also not approved or endorsed any RHD-to-LHD conversions.
However, investigations revealed that about 90 per cent of such conversions are carried out locally by informal artisans, often involving extensive structural modifications such as dashboard removal, wiring alterations, and changes to steering and braking systems—compromising vehicle safety.
The report also found that none of the conversion centres visited were registered with the NRSA, raising concerns over the absence of standards, supervision, and certification.
On suitability, the working group noted that the Voxy is designed as a family minivan, not for commercial transport. Official guidance from Toyota Tsusho indicates that only models such as the HiAce, GranAce, and Coaster are built for passenger transport services. The Voxy’s lower ground clearance makes it unsuitable for long-distance travel on Ghana’s road network.
Despite this, thousands of units are being used commercially. Data shows that about 3,570 Voxy vehicles were registered in the first two months of 2026 alone, with many privately registered vehicles being used for commercial purposes.
The report further highlighted widespread regulatory lapses. It noted that the Ghana Revenue Authority has not fully enforced provisions under the Customs Act that restrict the importation of RHD vehicles without ministerial approval. Similarly, the Ghana Standards Authority has not enforced pre-shipment inspection standards to prevent such imports.
The Driver and Vehicle Licensing Authority (DVLA) was also cited for registering converted vehicles without enhanced inspections, while the Motor Traffic and Transport Department (MTTD) was faulted for failing to ensure that vehicles registered for private use are not deployed for commercial operations.
Crash data analysed by the committee showed a 9.3 per cent increase in road crashes in 2025, with the fatality rate reaching its highest level in recent years. Although Voxy-related crashes account for less than one per cent nationally, their regional impact is significant, particularly in the Bono, North East, and Western Central regions.
The NRSA attributed some of these incidents to commercial pressures on drivers, including high weekly sales targets that encourage speeding and risky behaviour.
To address the situation, the Authority has outlined a series of measures, including immediate enforcement of the ban on RHD imports, sanctions against illegal commercial use, and restrictions limiting Voxy vehicles to intra-city operations.
In the medium to long term, the NRSA is proposing stricter regulatory enforcement, enhanced driver training, the development of national standards for vehicle conversions, and improved data systems for road safety management.
The Authority says the directive is aimed at reducing accidents and ensuring strict compliance with road safety regulations nationwide.
