Unauthorised vehicle modifications could jeopardise road safety — CILT
The Chartered Institute of Logistics and Transport (CILT), Ghana, has warned against unauthorised vehicle modifications, saying such practices could upset manufacturers' design balance and increase the risk of accidents.
It said although modifications are not inherently bad, practices such as lifting suspensions, fitting non‑standard tyres or altering shock absorbers could be dangerous when done without proper engineering assessment, parts and approvals.
Opening a day's vehicle fleet managers workshop in Accra yesterday, President of CILT, Alhaj Mohammed Saaka Dumba, explained that changes to a vehicle’s suspension or other components alter the intended geometry and handling, reducing flexibility and stability on Ghana’s varied road surfaces.
“Immediately you add something or subtract something from the original model, you are making it imbalanced and when you are not balancing it well, definitely it will have an effect,” Alhaj Dumba said.
Training
Organised by CILT, the training workshop brought together 45 transport managers and operators from various government agencies and the private sector.
The training, which focused on strengthening fleet operations and safety, included sessions on compliance, driver management, operational safety and fuel cost control.
Collaboration
Alhaj Dumba said the problem of vehicle modification was a major reason the institute convened managers for guidance and education.
He urged fleet managers to enforce strict maintenance and compliance standards and to prevent drivers or owners from making ad‑hoc modifications that could compromise safety.
Decrying the surge of road crashes on the country's roads, the CILT President said the institute was embarking on a collaborative agenda with all key Institutions and agencies to find concrete solutions to the menace.
"Let me reiterate that professionalism in fleet management is not optional - it is a necessity.
"As CILT Ghana, we remain committed to building capacity, promoting best practices and supporting the development of competent transport and logistics professionals," he added.
For his part, the Vice-President in charge of Education and Professional Development, Dr Andrews Osei Mensah, underscored the need to make operational safety a non-negotiable and a top priority strategy for every Fleet Transport Manager.
That, he said, would help to reduce accidents, protect lives and safeguard assets on the road.
