The National Sand and Stone Tipper Truck Drivers (NSSTTD) have raised concerns regarding the absence of weighing facilities at loading locations nationwide, which prevents them from confirming the weight of their cargo prior to departure.
This lack of equipment has resulted in their vehicles often being classified as overloaded at checkpoints, leading to some members facing arrest.
During a press conference in Accra, the National Public Relations Officer (PRO) of the NSSTTD, Anthony Mensah, noted that L.I. 2180 on devices for assessing overloaded vehicles, Section 87 (2), specifies that: ‘A warehouse and a company involved in the handling of bulk goods must provide and install a weighbridge or other approved measuring device for weighing loaded vehicles leaving their premises as mandated in the Eighth Schedule’.
However, he emphasized that this requirement is not currently met, and assured that their drivers do not intentionally overload their vehicles.
“The responsibility must be shared by entities such as the Ghana Standards Authority, the Department of Roads and Highways, and the Driver and Vehicle Licensing Authority,” he added.
Revenue Loss
Mr. Mensah also expressed worries about selective enforcement actions targeting certain individuals in the sand-winning sector by officials from the Minerals Commission and its Inspectorate Division, who use specific logos and flags for identification.
“Due to this selective approach, we find ourselves victims of a flawed system, even though we possess valid waybills from the Minerals Commission,” he explained. “The government is continuously losing substantial revenue because of illegal sand-winning operations,” he stated.
Vehicle Weight Regulations
According to Mr. Mensah, as per L.I. 2180, the maximum allowable vehicle weight is set at 27 tons. However, the Ghana Highway Authority later revised this to 30.5 tons.
He mentioned that based on manufacturer specifications, a common model like the Chinese Sinotruk has a net weight of 16 tons and a gross weight of 25 tons, allowing it to carry only nine tons safely, approximately 5.6 cubic capacity. Under the revised limit of 30.5 tons, the maximum payload becomes 14.5 tons, which is roughly equivalent to 9.06 cubic capacity.
“Yet, many of our tipper trucks have a capacity between 16 to 18 cubic meters. An 18-cubic-capacity truck fully loaded can reach about 30 tons of cargo plus 16 tons net weight, totaling 46 tons,” he indicated, highlighting that this exceeds the permissible limit by 15.5 tons. He noted that many trucks face arrests for overloading despite drivers fulfilling customer requirements and adhering to the truck’s design specifications.
Call for Action
Mr. Mensah reiterated that for over ten years, they have voiced their concerns, submitted petitions, and provided technical solutions, but authorities have yet to take substantial action.
“We, therefore, urge the Minerals Commission, the Ghana Standards Authority, the Driver and Vehicle Licensing Authority (DVLA), and the Roads and Highways Ministry to accept full responsibility, demonstrating fairness and transparency by first placing state-owned tipper trucks on weighbridges, both loaded and unloaded, without bias,” he concluded.
