‘Are we regulating danger or birthdays?’ – IMANI questions 15-year used vehicle restriction, asks GSA

IMANI Africa has raised concerns about the Ghana Standards Authority's (GSA) decision to restrict the importation of used vehicles older than 15 years. The policy, set to take effect from October 1 under the GS 4510:2022 conformity regime, has sparked a broader debate on whether age alone should be a determinant for vehicle entry into Ghana.

While IMANI supports efforts to maintain a clean used vehicle market, it questions if "age should outweigh roadworthiness" when determining import eligibility. The organization argues that a used vehicle's safety should be judged based on its roadworthiness rather than its age. IMANI's policy question, "Are we regulating danger or regulating birthdays?" highlights the disagreement between the proposed age restriction and the actual condition of the vehicles.

The organization also highlighted the lack of a clear legal basis for the new age restriction, pointing out discrepancies in the threshold age mentioned in the Customs (Amendment) Act, 2020, Act 1014 (Section 154(3)), which allows the Finance Minister to set an age limit through a Legislative Instrument. IMANI urged the government to provide the relevant Legislative Instrument and clarify the connection between the existing law and the new 15-year restriction.

The debate has drawn support from the Vehicle and Assets Dealers Union of Ghana, whose President General, Bernard Ntrakwah, supported GSA's efforts to keep dangerous vehicles out of the country but objected to the blanket 15-year exclusion. IMANI maintains that supporting tougher safety standards does not necessarily imply backing an age-based ban, emphasizing that a well-maintained 16-year-old vehicle can be just as safe as a new one.

The think tank cautioned that the proposed restriction could have economic ramifications for Ghana's used vehicle market, which supports numerous businesses and workers. It warned that the restriction could impact livelihoods, making it difficult for lower-income Ghanaians to afford newer vehicles and potentially encouraging the use of unsafe older vehicles.

IMANI called for policymakers to consider the broader economic impact of the restriction on the livelihoods of those involved in the used vehicle ecosystem.