By Laudia Sawer
Tema, Feb. 27, GNA – Ghana Link Network Services Limited, the operator of the Integrated Customs Management Systems (ICUMS), has stated that the weighbridges installed at the Tema Port are fully operational.
The company, in a statement copied to the Ghana News Agency (GNA), debunked reports that the weighbridge system under ICUMS was non-operational.
The issue of the functionality of the weighbridge came to light when Mr Kwame Governs Agbodza, the Minister of Roads and Highways, together with Mr Joseph Bukari Nikpe, the Minister of Transport, paid a working visit to the port to check the weighbridges.
“The Minister’s inquiry was about enforcement, not functionality. Hon. Nikpe observed that some trucks were bypassing the weighbridges and sought clarification on the reasons why some vehicles are exempted from being weighed,” it stated.
It added that their response was to the fact that the process was currently in the piloting phase, which was why certain trucks were not yet required to pass through the weighbridges.
It explained that this measured approach ensured a free flow of traffic and a smooth transition, as the system moved toward full-scale implementation soon.
Touching on overloaded vehicles, it noted that the Customs Division of the Ghana Revenue Authority (GRA) was seeking to engage with the Ghana Highway Authority and with port authorities to establish a seamless data-sharing mechanism on axle weight compliance once the system was fully live.
Meanwhile, the Minister for Roads and Highways, after his visit, inaugurated a five-member committee to review the operations of the Axle Load Control Programme to enhance its effectiveness and efficiency.
As part of its mandate, the committee is expected to identify systemic and operational issues that require reforms, interrogate any violations of regulatory provisions, evaluate the management of collected fines, and provide suitable recommendations to improve the programme.
The ministry, overloading heavy cargo vehicles has been identified as a major factor in the premature deterioration of road pavements and increased traffic accidents.
GNA