Ghana Government Fleet Insurance Audit: Parliament Demands Public Review

• Ghana's Parliamentary Chief Whips have demanded an immediate audit of government vehicle insurance and funding for premiums in the 2027 Budget.
• Findings from 2022 indicated that up to 99% of over 18,000 government vehicles were uninsured, leaving crash victims without compensation.
• The Whips called for amendments to the Motor Vehicles (Third Party Insurance) Act, 1958 (Act 42), to remove the exemption for state vehicles.
• They highlighted that "self-insurance" without a dedicated fund offers victims only a "promise on paper," making compensation a favor rather than a right.
• The Speaker of Parliament has directed the Attorney General and Finance Minister to address these concerns.

Compensation becomes a right, not a favour.

Ghana's Parliamentary Chief Whips have issued a strong demand for a comprehensive public audit of government vehicles and their insurance status, alongside a specific allocation for insurance premiums within the 2027 Budget. Minority Chief Whip Frank Annoh-Dompreh and Majority Chief Whip Rockson-Nelson Dafeamekpor jointly delivered this statement on the Floor of Parliament on November 4, urging all government agencies to secure insurance for their fleets without delay.

The Whips emphasized that the current exemption of government vehicles from compulsory third-party insurance creates a precarious situation for individuals involved in accidents, leaving crash victims to face an uncertain and arduous path to compensation. They underscored the principle that a state requiring its citizens to insure its vehicles should itself be prepared to do the same, highlighting a critical gap in current policy and practice.

The parliamentary demand is rooted in alarming findings from the Public Accounts Committee in 2022, which revealed that a staggering 98 to 99 percent of more than 18,000 government vehicles were operating without insurance. This widespread lack of coverage has tangible and severe consequences, as illustrated by a July 2024 incident near Koforidua involving an uninsured GETFund school bus, where victims were left without access to insurance benefits.

Further underscoring the urgency, the Whips referenced the Health Minister's disclosure from July, which confirmed that the national ambulance fleet was uninsured at the time he assumed office. While commending the Minister for rectifying this situation, they pressed for this proactive approach to be adopted across all government fleets, ensuring that no *Ghana government vehicle uninsured* status persists.

A central component of the Whips' proposal involves amending the *Motor Vehicles (Third Party Insurance) Act, 1958 (Act 42)*, to eliminate the existing exemption for government vehicles. They called for the active involvement of the *National Insurance Commission Ghana* and the Attorney-General in this legislative reform process, and further insisted that all Ministries, Departments, and Agencies register their vehicles on the Motor Insurance Database.

The Whips critically challenged the argument that the State could simply pay compensation directly in lieu of purchasing insurance. They asserted that

The call for a *Ghana government fleet insurance audit* is also contextualized by the nation's significant road safety challenges. Data from the National Road Safety Authority indicates a high national road toll, with 2,949 fatalities recorded in 14,743 crashes during 2025, representing an 18.2 percent increase over the previous year. Ensuring proper insurance for government vehicles is seen as a crucial step in addressing the broader implications of road accidents.

The *Parliamentary Chief Whips Ghana* acknowledged that the issue of uninsured government vehicles is not attributable to a single administration, noting that successive governments have left the exemption untouched. They framed the resolution of this long-standing problem as a collective test for all political actors. Following the joint statement, the Speaker of Parliament formally charged both the Attorney General and the Finance Minister to take decisive action on the recommendations presented.

Lawyers should advise government agencies on immediate compliance with vehicle insurance requirements and prepare for potential amendments to the Motor Vehicles (Third Party Insurance) Act, 1958 (Act 42), which could impact liability and compensation claims involving state vehicles. Compliance officers must ensure their agency's fleet is insured and registered on the Motor Insurance Database to mitigate future legal and financial risks.

Source: Original reporting via Abubakar Ibrahim