Seventy per cent (70%) of vehicles that ply the country’s roads are not roadworthy, the Chief Executive Officer of S-Class Services, a private vehicle and technical organisation, Mr Samuel Oppong, has disclosed.
That, he stressed, was the cause of many road crashes in the country. He went on to add that the development also portends grave danger for road users.
Mr Oppong made the revelation at the weekend during a media briefing after his company opened a new vehicle inspection and testing centre in Techiman, Brong Ahafo Region.
Journalists who accompanied the company were taken on a tour of the new vehicle inspection and testing centre in Techiman.
He said the purpose of inspecting and testing vehicles was to ensure its road worthiness, and to facilitate the safety of drivers and passengers.
The new centre, he said, will serve the trading hub of Techiman and surrounding districts in the Brong-Ahafo Region.
According to him, this was part of his company’s efforts and measures to help reduce road crashes in the country.
He said the rigorous testing and inspection by his company had drastically helped to reduce road crashes since the organisation does not compromise on standards.
The inspection process, he said, includes identification, payment for test, registry, visual and automated testing, printing and certification and roadworthy certificate.
Mr Oppong said the visual test comprises windscreen, tyre, wipers, wheel knots and bolts, seat belt, number plates and seats while the automated test was made up of emission test, alignment, shock absorbers, front, rear and rear brakes test and the lighting system.
He indicated that their operations in Accra had also reduced congestion and eased growing pressure on the DVLA office at the 37 Military Hospital area, where vehicles are tested and licensed.
“Each of our stations has created employment for professionals and to about 70 people,” he revealed.
He expressed the hope that S-Class Services would extend its operations to the other regions in the northern sector as their services were needed in all parts of the country.
Along this line, Mr Oppong appealed to the central government to encourage the opening of more of such facilities through public-private partnership. That, he explained, was key to economic development and protection of lives and properties.
According to him, S-Class Service, which started operations in Accra at Dome in the year 2000, saw the need to extend its good work to Techiman and its environs.
“We also have a branch in the Ashanti Region around Buokrom Estate, which serves Kumasi and its surrounding districts.
…So far the Accra testing centre has tested over 300,000 vehicles since its inception.”
S-Class Services is a private vehicle inspection and technical organisation.
The company is mandated by the Driver and Vehicle Licensing Authority (DVLA) to check the roadworthiness of vehicles, as part of efforts and measures by the DVLA to reduce road crashes in the country.
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