Member of Parliament for South Dayi, Rockson-Nelson Etse Kwami Dafeamekpor, has called on the Ghanaian government to ensure that all state-owned vehicles are adequately insured. This move aims to protect public property and the lives of public officials and other road users. During a parliamentary sitting in Accra on November 4, 2026, Dafeamekpor emphasized the importance of insurance policy cover for official vehicles. He urged the government to review existing exemptions granted to state vehicles under the country’s motor insurance laws.
Under Ghana's motor insurance laws, specifically Act 42 of 1958, third-party insurance is compulsory for vehicles operating on public roads. However, government-owned vehicles enjoy certain exemptions subject to specific conditions. Dafeamekpor questioned the continued application of this exemption, citing that the required security deposits of GH¢200,000 per government vehicle had not been lodged with the Accountant-General since 1958. He referenced the Insurance Act, 2021 (Act 1061), particularly Section 220, which reinforces compulsory motor third-party insurance for vehicles used on public roads.
Dafeamekpor emphasized the need for adequate protection beyond third-party insurance. He appealed for comprehensive insurance policies for vehicles assigned to ministers and Members of Parliament. According to him, this would ensure that insurance companies bear the cost of repairs or replacement when accidents occur, rather than transferring the financial burden to the state. The MP estimated that a comprehensive insurance policy for a Toyota Land Cruiser valued at US$80,000, at a premium rate of five per cent, would cost approximately US$4,000, equivalent to about GH¢55,000.
The MP warned that the financial consequences of leaving expensive government vehicles uninsured could be severe, particularly in the event of major road accidents. He cautioned that one rollover on the Accra-Kumasi highway could wipe out the entire vehicle and its value if it is not comprehensively insured. Some of his colleagues in Parliament could attest to the financial difficulties associated with repairing or replacing vehicles involved in accidents without adequate insurance policies.
Dafeamekpor called on the Minister of Finance to use the appropriate legislative instrument to revoke the blanket exemption for government vehicles unless the required security deposits are made, published in the Gazette, and verified by the Auditor-General. He also urged Cabinet to direct all ministries, departments, agencies, and other government institutions to insure their official vehicles as a matter of policy.
According to Dafeamekpor, such a measure would ensure that insurance companies bear the cost of repairs or replacement when accidents occur, rather than transferring the financial burden to the state. The MP called on the government to ensure that its vehicles are insured to protect the lives of people who use them in the performance of their official duties. He subsequently appealed to Parliament to refer the statement to the Joint Committees on Roads and Transport, Finance, and Constitutional, Legal and Parliamentary Affairs.
The proposed insurance policy would provide financial protection and ensure that the government is not liable for damages in the event of an accident. This move is expected to promote road safety and reduce the financial burden on the state. The Ghanaian government has not yet responded to Dafeamekpor's call, but the issue is expected to be discussed in Parliament.
Key points
- Ghanaian MP Rockson-Nelson Etse Kwami Dafeamekpor calls for comprehensive insurance for government vehicles.
- The proposed insurance policy aims to protect public property and the lives of public officials and other road users.
- The move is expected to promote road safety and reduce the financial burden on the state.
