The Minister for Roads and Highways, Governs Kwame Agbodza, has disclosed that government is in the process of amending existing rules to significantly raise fines imposed on operators of overloaded trucks, increasing the maximum penalty from GH¢5,000 to GH¢50,000.

According to the minister, the current sanction is inadequate and does little to discourage offenders.

In an interview with GTV on Monday, January 26, 2026, Mr Agbodza explained that the present upper limit on fines does not come close to covering the extent of damage heavy vehicles inflict on the country’s road network.

“It does not make sense to impose a GH¢5,000 fine when the destruction caused runs into tens of thousands of cedis. The punishment must match the harm,” he stated.

He noted that axle load monitoring currently operates on a tiered penalty system, with charges increasing based on the degree to which a vehicle exceeds the approved weight threshold.

However, he stressed that even at the highest level, the existing fines remain too small to prevent operators from overloading.

“The financial benefit of overloading is still higher than the punishment, so the system fails to deter,” the minister added.

Mr Agbodza said changes are being made to the legislative instrument regulating axle load control to provide legal backing for steeper penalties.

“Once the revision is complete, the fine will be set at GH¢50,000,” he said.

The minister also revealed that authorities are considering stricter actions against habitual offenders, including impounding vehicles used in repeated violations.

“For those who continue to flout the law, we will seize their trucks. Enforcement will be firm,” he warned.

The Ministry of Roads and Highways has consistently pointed to excessive loading as a key contributor to premature road damage, noting that it speeds up surface failure and drives up the cost of road repairs and maintenance.