Ghana Lawmakers: Demand End to Government Vehicle Insurance Exemption

• Ghana's Majority and Minority Chief Whips have jointly demanded an end to the exemption of government vehicles from compulsory third-party insurance.
• They cited that 98-99% of over 18,000 government vehicles were uninsured in 2022, leading to uncompensated victims in crashes like a July 2024 GETFund school bus incident.
• The Whips called for immediate insurance of state fleets, funding in the 2027 Budget, and amendments to the Motor Vehicles (Third Party Insurance) Act, 1958 (Act 42).
• They argued that self-insurance without a ring-fenced fund leaves victims without enforceable rights and facing delays, contrasting it with the benefits of actual insurance.
• The Speaker of Parliament has charged the Attorney General and Finance Minister to act on the statement, which also urged all government agencies to insure their vehicles immediately.

A child is no less an orphan because the vehicle was owned by the state.

Parliamentary leaders from both sides of the aisle have issued a unified plea to the Ghanaian government, urging an immediate end to the long-standing exemption of state-owned vehicles from mandatory third-party insurance. On November 4, 2026, Majority Chief Whip Frank Annoh-Dompreh and Minority Chief Whip Rockson-Nelson Dafeamekpor jointly addressed Parliament, asserting that all road crash victims, regardless of the vehicle's ownership, deserve equitable access to compensation. Their statement underscored a fundamental principle: "a State that asks its citizens to insure must be willing to insure itself."

The Chief Whips' intervention included several specific demands aimed at rectifying the current situation. They called for the government to promptly ensure its entire fleet is covered by insurance. Furthermore, they insisted that adequate funding for these insurance premiums be allocated within the upcoming 2027 Budget. A crucial legislative change was also proposed: amendments to the Motor Vehicles (Third Party Insurance) Act, 1958 (Act 42), to formally remove the existing Ghana government vehicle insurance exemption.

This bipartisan appeal highlighted a perceived double standard, questioning why ordinary citizens face penalties for operating uninsured vehicles while the state itself remains exempt. The Whips articulated this disparity by stating, "We demand of the trader, the taxi driver and the tricycle rider what the State does not demand of itself," emphasizing the need for the government to adhere to the same standards it imposes on its populace regarding vehicle insurance.

The current legal framework in Ghana, specifically the Motor Vehicles (Third Party Insurance) Act, 1958 (Act 42), has historically allowed government vehicles to operate without the compulsory third-party insurance required of private citizens. This exemption has led to a significant number of Ghana uninsured government vehicles on the roads, with findings presented to Parliament in 2022 revealing that an alarming 98 to 99 percent of over 18,000 state-owned vehicles lacked insurance coverage.

The human cost of this policy was starkly illustrated by a July 2024 incident involving an uninsured GETFund school bus near Koforidua. Victims of this crash reportedly received no insurance benefits, highlighting the direct impact on individuals injured by state vehicles. The Chief Whips vehemently rejected the notion that the government could simply self-insure or directly compensate victims, arguing that "self-insurance without a ring-fenced fund is a promise on paper."

Without proper insurance, victims of accidents involving government vehicles often face a protracted and uncertain path to Ghana road crash victim compensation. This typically involves submitting petitions to various ministries, initiating legal action against the Attorney-General, and enduring significant delays while awaiting budgetary allocations. The Whips stressed that genuine insurance would provide victims with enforceable rights and offer the state more predictable costs, transforming "Compensation becomes a right, not a favour." They also poignantly noted, "A child is no less an orphan because the vehicle was owned by the state."

The Chief Whips' third-party insurance demand gains additional urgency when viewed against the backdrop of national road safety statistics. Data from the National Road Safety Authority indicated a tragic increase in fatalities, with 2,949 people dying in road crashes in 2025, representing an 18.2 percent rise compared to the previous year. This escalating human toll underscores the critical need for robust compensation mechanisms for all accident victims.

In light of these figures and the current policy gaps, the Chief Whips urged all government ministries, departments, and agencies to take immediate action. They specifically called for these entities to insure their vehicles and register them on the Motor Insurance Database without delay, rather than waiting for Parliament to formally amend the Motor Vehicles (Third Party Insurance) Act, 1958 (Act 42). This proactive approach aims to swiftly address the issue of Ghana uninsured government vehicles.

Further demonstrating the comprehensive nature of their Ghana government vehicle insurance exemption demand, the Whips also requested a published audit detailing the state's entire fleet and its current insurance status. This bipartisan initiative, which one Chief Whip noted transcended past governmental inaction ("Successive governments, including mine, left this exemption untouched. Fixing it should be a test we all pass"), received a direct charge from the Speaker of Parliament to both the Attorney General and the Finance Minister to act upon the statement's recommendations, addressing potential Ghana Attorney General vehicle liability.

Lawyers advising government ministries, departments, and agencies in Ghana should immediately review their vehicle insurance policies and advise proactive compliance with the call to insure all fleets, anticipating potential amendments to the Motor Vehicles (Third Party Insurance) Act, 1958 (Act 42). Litigators representing accident victims should note the Chief Whips' statement as it strengthens arguments for state liability and compensation, especially given the explicit charge to the Attorney-General and Finance Minister to act.

Source: Original reporting via Abubakar Ibrahim