Fine-Tuning of Over-aged Vehicles Law Receives Support

There are indications that certain aspects of the Law on the importation of over-aged vehicles into Ghana would soon be amended to take care of certain lapses that have been identified by the Customs Excise and Preventive Service (CEPS) which is the main implementing agency of the law. One of the many defects in the law is that it places CEPS in a position where it invests more money in the smelter of the impounded over-aged vehicles as metal scrap than operators of scrap foundries are ready to pay.

Early this year, the Ghana government announced an amnesty for certain categories of over-aged vehicles that were imported before a specific period, to make up for certain losses. Finance Minister Yaw Osafo-Maafo says the State realised over Four Billion Cedis in revenue through the exercise. He expects to soon make representations to make the law more beneficial to the Country.

Moves he has so far made including the his call for an amendment has received the support of the NDC Minority in Parliament. The law on overaged Vehicles as it stands prohibits the importation of vehicles which are 10 years old and over.

The law was passed to take care of environmental concerns that some of the vehicles imported into the country had defective engines which promoted environmental pollution.

Mr Osafo-Maafo argues that unless the ban on overaged vehicles is stretched to cover engines, of the same life-span,which have the same environmental impact there is no justification for the condemnation of over-aged vehicles.