Parliamentary Chief Whips demand gov’t fleet insurance audit, funding in 2027 Budget

Parliament’s Majority and Minority Chief Whips have demanded a public audit of government vehicles and their insurance status, alongside funding for premiums in the 2027 Budget.

Minority Chief Whip Frank Annoh-Dompreh and Majority Chief Whip Rockson-Nelson Dafeamekpor also want government agencies to insure their fleets immediately, without waiting for a change in the law.

Their joint statement, delivered on the Floor of Parliament on November 4, warned that exempting government vehicles from compulsory third-party insurance leaves crash victims facing an uncertain struggle for compensation.

“Mr Speaker, a State that asks its citizens to insure must be willing to insure itself.”

The two whips called for amendments to the Motor Vehicles (Third Party Insurance) Act, 1958 (Act 42), to remove the exemption. They want the National Insurance Commission and the Attorney-General involved in that process.

They also demanded that all Ministries, Departments and Agencies register their vehicles on the Motor Insurance Database.

The statement cited Public Accounts Committee findings raised in Parliament in 2022. These indicated that some 98 to 99 per cent of more than 18,000 government vehicles were uninsured.

It also cited a July 2024 crash involving an uninsured GETFund school bus near Koforidua, which left victims without insurance benefits.

The whips questioned the argument that the State could pay compensation directly instead of buying insurance.

“However, self-insurance without a ring-fenced fund is a promise on paper.”

They said victims could be forced to petition a ministry, sue the Attorney-General and wait for funding that might not be available.

They argued that insurance would give victims enforceable rights while allowing the State to plan for premiums instead of facing unpredictable judgment debts.

“Compensation becomes a right, not a favour.”

The statement challenged a heavy national road toll. Citing the National Road Safety Authority, it said 2,949 people died in 14,743 crashes in 2025, an 18.2 per cent increase over 2024.

The whips also cited the Health Minister’s July disclosure that the national ambulance fleet was uninsured when he assumed office. They commended him for correcting the situation and urged government to extend that approach across its fleets.

They stressed that successive administrations had left the exemption untouched.

“Mr Speaker, this is not an indictment of one administration. Successive governments, including mine, left this exemption untouched. Fixing it should be a test we all pass.”

The Speaker charged the Attorney General and Finance Minister to act on the statement.