The Minister for Roads and Highways, Mr. Governs Kwame Agbodza, has announced that the government is revising regulations to raise the penalty for overloaded trucks from GH¢5,000 to GH¢50,000. He described the current fine as inadequate and ineffective in deterring offenders. Speaking in an interview with GTV on Monday, January 26, 2026, Mr. Agbodza argued that the existing maximum penalty does not reflect the extent of damage caused to roads by overloaded vehicles.
“You cannot impose a GH¢5,000 fine when the damage being done is worth GH¢50,000. The penalty must be increased,” he stated. The minister explained that the current axle load enforcement regime applies graduated fines depending on how much a vehicle exceeds the legal weight limit. While penalties rise with the degree of overloading, he noted that even the highest fines under the present system fail to discourage the practice.
“The current penalty does not serve as a deterrent, as the cost of fines is far lower than the damage caused by overloading,” Mr. Agbodza stated. He explained that the government is revising the legislative instrument on axle load control to introduce stiffer sanctions. “We are revising the instrument so that the penalty will be GH¢50,000,” he said.
Mr. Agbodza added that tougher measures are being considered for repeat offenders, including confiscation of vehicles used to breach the law. “If you are a repeat offender, we will seize the vehicle. We are going to make it tough,” he emphasised. The Roads and Highways Ministry has consistently identified overloading as a major factor behind rapid road deterioration, stressing that the practice accelerates pavement failure and drives up maintenance costs.
Source: Mohammed Ali
