A parliamentary statement has raised concerns over the failure of government institutions to insure official vehicles, following revelations that an uninsured vehicle belonging to the Ministry of Justice and Attorney-General’s Department was involved in a fatal road accident that resulted in a GH¢263,399 judgment debt against the state.
According to the statement, vehicle registration number DN 3118 was involved in an accident on September 8, 2013, which claimed one life and left four others injured.
The matter subsequently resulted in a judgment debt of GH¢263,399 against the state and the Ministry of Justice and Attorney-General’s Department.
The Auditor-General flagged the judgment debt after the Ministry reportedly failed to secure funds to settle the liability. When officials appeared before the Public Accounts Committee (PAC), the Chief Director reportedly testified that the Ministry could not find the money, including an amount of GH¢200,000.
The statement further alleged that the vehicles had not been insured and questioned why lessons from the accident had not led to the insurance of other government vehicles.
Uninsured Ambulances Add to Ministry’s Financial Burden
The statement also recalled disclosures made by the Minister of Health, Hon. Kwabena Mintah Akandoh, on the floor of Parliament in October 2025.
The Health Minister reportedly revealed that upon assuming office in January 2025, he discovered that none of the 300 ambulances procured for the country had been insured.
He explained that the situation had created an additional financial burden on the Ministry, as several ambulances had been involved in accidents while transporting patients to health facilities.
The revelation raised concerns about the government’s failure to insure vehicles used for essential public services, particularly ambulances responsible for transporting critically ill and injured persons.
Ghana’s Road Accident Statistics Raise Further Concerns
The parliamentary statement further highlighted what it described as worrying road safety statistics recorded between 2021 and 2025.
According to the figures presented:
| Year | Road crashes | Deaths |
|---|---|---|
| 2021 | 15,972 | 2,924 |
| 2022 | 14,960 | 2,363 |
| 2023 | 14,175 | 2,276 |
| 2024 | 13,489 | 2,494 |
| 2025 | 14,943 | 2,949 |
The figures were presented to demonstrate the growing human and financial cost of road accidents in the country.
The statement indicated that the 2025 figures represented a significant deterioration in road safety, with deaths increasing by more than 18 per cent year-on-year.
It further cited increases in the number of crashes, vehicles involved, injuries and pedestrians knocked down.
The MPs argued that the situation makes vehicle insurance, particularly for government-owned vehicles, an essential responsibility rather than an optional expenditure.
They stressed the need for government institutions to learn from previous incidents and put measures in place to prevent avoidable financial liabilities and protect the lives of road users.
