The Ghana Standards Authority (GSA) is set to intensify checks on imported used vehicles, with full enforcement of new safety and quality requirements scheduled to begin on October 1, 2026.
Under the new system, all used vehicles imported into Ghana will be required to undergo mandatory inspections before they are shipped into the country. The exercise will be carried out under the Pre Export Verification of Conformity (PVoC) programme to ensure that vehicles meet the requirements of the Ghana Standard GS 4510.
The Deputy Director-General of the GSA in charge of General Services, Samuel Abdulai Jabanyite, announced the move during a media engagement in Accra following consultations with stakeholders in the automotive sector.
He said the enforcement of the standards, which had faced delays over the years, is now receiving renewed support from the Presidency, relevant ministries and other stakeholders.
The new measures are intended to prevent vehicles considered unsafe or unroadworthy from being imported into Ghana, a move the GSA believes could contribute to improving road safety and reducing road crashes.
Under the standard, vehicles may be rejected if they have previously been submerged in water, damaged by floods or fire, or have serious defects affecting their chassis or safety structures.
The requirements will also prohibit the importation of vehicles originally manufactured with right-hand steering, cars assembled from spare parts and vehicles without speedometers calibrated in kilometres per hour. Vehicles that are more than 10 years old will also not be permitted under the standard.
A Standards Development Officer at the GSA, Kingsley Domena Yeboah, explained that the objective is not to completely stop the importation of used vehicles, which account for a significant proportion of cars on Ghanaian roads.
Instead, he said, the reforms are intended to ensure that only vehicles that meet acceptable safety and quality standards are allowed into the country.
The new framework will also introduce stronger inspection and certification procedures. Accredited third-party inspection companies will examine vehicles before export and issue certificates of conformity, which will subsequently be verified by the GSA at Ghana’s ports before clearance.
The authority is also expected to use QR-coded certificates, electronic verification tools and the Vehicle Dealer Information System to improve the tracking of imported vehicles, make verification easier and help identify stolen vehicles.
The GSA says the reforms are part of a broader effort to create a more organised automotive sector, protect consumers and improve road safety while supporting investment and job creation in Ghana’s automotive industry.