Henry Quartey got no power to ban ‘aboboyaa’ - Kwame Agbodza

The Ranking Member on Committee of Roads and transport, Kwame Agbodza has stated that there is no law to ban tricycles, widely known as ‘Aboboyaa from the principal streets.

The Greater Accra Regional Minister, Henry Quartey, had announced that the ban on tricycles, widely known as ‘aboboyaa’ on Accra Highways, is expected to take effect from November 1, 2021.

The Minister explained that the major place of concern for the exercise is the Tema Motorway. This action to rid tricycle operators from the Highways forms part of the ‘Let’s make Accra work Agenda.’

He noted that a one-week grace period would be given after the creation of public awareness by the Assemblies.

According, he had already engaged with the heads of the tricycle operators, adding that the operators’ leadership has been informed about the new order.

But the Ranking Member says there’s no law in this country that gives power to the regional minister to determine which vehicles to be driven on roads.

In his view, if the regional minister wants to make changes and ban, ‘aboboyaa’ he should work with the ministry of roads and transport through agencies to make initiate appropriate laws to be passed by parliament.

Addressing journalists on Tuesday, October 26, 2021, the Minority has been frontal in ensuring safety on our roads, and their opinion on the matter should not be seen as negative.

He said if the Minister has decided to ban ‘aboboyaa’, let him know that he is overstepping his boundary under his watch.

"There is no law in this country that gives power to regional minister to determine which vehicles drive on which roads. That is within the purview of the National Road Safety Authority and the Ministry of Road and Transport.”

He challenged the Minister to quote a law that grants him the power to embark on the banning exercise.

He said although the Minister may have a reason for his action, it sounds as if he is treating Malaria with paracetamol.

"There is no law in this country that gives the Minister the power to say that they are going to ban ‘aboboyaa’," he insisted.

He said it is annoying and dangerous to see ‘aboboyaa’ loaded with refuse on the motorway heading towards Kpone. "It is dangerous. We all see it. But the solution is not to say you will ban them. If you ban them when they collect the refuse from Dansoman, how will they refuse get to the treatment plant at Kpone?

"Can the Regional Minister the way by which the refuse that we collect around Accra end up at the treatment plant without using the motorway. Or he is going to build a new dedicated motorway for them?

"I think the Regional Minister is overstepping his authority. And he should step back and consult with the road minister and the transport minister so we can see the best way to resolve this.”

He said they recognize that the implementation of L. I 80 has been problematic because some things in that law have outlived their usefulness.

He said there was the need to review them adding, the biggest problem on our roads is the road itself and not just the users.

Our roads, he lamented are bad with potholes, and if we want a holistic solution we should be doing a host of things.

The roads we ply, he said, must be in good conditions, but we can enforce any law.