President John Dramani Mahama has announced plans by his administration to introduce and enforce strict weight restrictions on heavy-duty trucks as part of a broader national effort to preserve Ghana’s rapidly expanding road network.
The President made the announcement during his working tour of the Western Region, emphasizing that overloading by transport operators remains one of the most destructive practices undermining the country’s investments in road infrastructure.
Addressing stakeholders and residents, President Mahama expressed frustration over the rapid deterioration of newly constructed roads due to the persistent problem of overloaded trucks.
“We cannot invest so much money in improving our road network only for transporters to overload their trucks and destroy the roads in three to five years.
“We’ve seen new roads that are built, and once these trucks that are overloaded pass on them, within three to five years, the road is finished.”
President John Dramani Mahama
The President cited Burkina Faso’s recent introduction of a strict weight regulation regime as an example Ghana could learn from, noting that regional consistency in transport policies was essential for the sustainability of road infrastructure across West Africa.
“In Burkina Faso, your trailer must not be longer than a certain length, and it must not be wider than a certain length. And do you know what is happening? Trucks load from Takoradi and from Tema and overload.
“When they get to the Burkina Faso border, they cannot enter because of the regulations Burkina has introduced. So they bring three trucks from Burkina Faso and offload one truck into three trucks before they can enter Burkina Faso.”
President John Dramani Mahama
President Mahama described the situation as alarming and unsustainable, explaining that certain truck operators in Ghana currently carry loads far exceeding the legal limits.
“There are trucks in this country that load 120 tons when the maximum load is supposed to be 50 tons. There is no road you can construct that will stand 120 tons per truck.”
President John Dramani Mahama
Weight Restriction Scheduled in 2026 Budget
He said the government would not allow such practices to continue, stressing that measures to regulate vehicular weight would be introduced in the upcoming 2026 national budget. “We’ll consult the Drivers Union, the transporters. We must implement weight restrictions so that the roads we build can last.”
According to him, the forthcoming regulation would form part of a comprehensive national policy aimed at ensuring the longevity and efficiency of Ghana’s road investments.
“Next year, we’re going to introduce strict weight limitations so that these investments that we’re making in our road sector will last for a lifetime.
“We are not going to waste taxpayers’ money repairing these roads only for people who want to make as much money as possible to load 120 tons on a road and destroy that road within a short time.”
President John Dramani Mahama
President Mahama’s comments come at a time when the government is embarking on a massive infrastructure expansion program, including the Big Push initiative and the dualization of major highways such as the Accra–Aflao, Ho–Aflao, and Cape Coast–Takoradi roads.
The President has consistently emphasized that infrastructure lies at the heart of his administration’s economic transformation agenda, but sustainability remains a key priority.
A Shared Responsibility
In his remarks, President Mahama reiterated that protecting public infrastructure requires a shared sense of responsibility among all stakeholders, including drivers, freight operators, and enforcement agencies.
“I’m just sending a signal. We’re going to engage the stakeholders in the sector in order that we enforce the weight limits for our trucks so that they don’t overload and destroy our roads.”
President John Dramani Mahama
He indicated that the Ministry of Roads and Highways, in collaboration with the National Road Safety Authority and transport unions, will soon begin consultations to ensure that the new weight enforcement measures are practical, fair, and effective.
The policy will likely include the installation of more weighbridges along major highways, stricter penalties for offenders, and increased monitoring of axle loads at ports and industrial zones.
The President’s call for enforcement also echoes longstanding concerns raised by road engineers and transport experts who argue that Ghana’s road lifespan could double if overloading were curtailed.
Studies by the Ghana Highway Authority (GHA) and the Building and Road Research Institute (BRRI) have shown that roads designed to last 15 to 20 years often fail within five years due to excess axle loads from trucks transporting goods such as cement, timber, cocoa, and petroleum products.
The proposed regulations could significantly reduce government expenditure on road maintenance, improve road safety, and enhance trade efficiency by aligning Ghana’s transport practices with international standards.
The move also aligns with regional efforts by the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) to standardize vehicle axle-load limits across member states to ensure uniform road preservation measures.
President Mahama’s commitment to sustainability and accountability in infrastructure investments marks a decisive shift toward protecting public assets while enhancing economic competitiveness.
The President underscored that the road sector remains central to Ghana’s development, connecting farms to markets, factories to ports, and people to opportunities. He concluded by assuring Ghanaians that his administration would not relent in enforcing discipline in the transport sector.
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