Ghana is stepping up public education on its revised road traffic laws, with government drawing attention to new requirements covering commercial motorcycles and tricycles, vehicle breakdowns, driver licensing, road safety and the digital enforcement of traffic offences.

The nationwide dissemination exercise is focused on the Road Traffic (Amendment) Act, 2025 (Act 1153) and the Road Traffic Regulations, 2026 (L.I. 2519), which provide an updated regulatory framework for road transport in Ghana.

The regulations replace the Road Traffic Regulations, 2012 (L.I. 2180) and comprise 247 regulations covering areas including vehicle registration and licensing, construction and use of vehicles, commercial transport, automated enforcement, as well as schedules relating to forms, road signs, fines and notices.

The exercise is being led by the Ministry of Transport in collaboration with the National Road Safety Authority (NRSA), Driver and Vehicle Licensing Authority (DVLA) and the Motor Transport and Traffic Directorate (MTTD) of the Ghana Police Service.

New rules for Okada operations

A major feature of the revised framework is the formal regulatory architecture for commercial motorcycle, tricycle and quadricycle operations.

The regulations provide specific requirements for operators, including licensing and registration, as government moves to bring commercial motorcycle operations within a clearer regulatory framework.

Minister of Transport Joseph Bukari Nikpe said the changes are intended to provide a modern legal framework for the sector while improving safety and expanding opportunities for people seeking to operate in commercial transport.

He said the reforms include adjustments to the minimum age for driving and stricter provisions on alcohol levels among drivers.

“The alcohol concentration in drivers to ensure that our drivers don't sit at the back of the wheel drunk or having any alcohol concentration that is so high. Again, we also reduce the age for driving from 25 to 21.”

Mr Nikpe said the amendments were also intended to bring Ghana's road transport regulatory framework in line with developments in other jurisdictions.

“We wanted to give effect to the amendments we made, so we went back to Parliament with the passage of the L.I. 2519 to enforce or to have a legal framework that will be up to date with other frameworks in the sub-region or within the world.”

Okada riders to form part of sensitization

With commercial motorcycle operations now receiving specific regulatory attention, the Minister said sustained engagement with Okada riders would be critical to ensuring compliance.

Mr Nikpe said some Ghanaian riders had been exposed to practices in other countries, including Rwanda, where commercial motorcycle operations are subject to structured road safety practices.

“They know the lanes that they will use. They know where to stop. They know where to turn, and they know how to respect the road signs and road traffic signage’s.”

He said Okada riders would also be involved in the nationwide sensitization exercise to help communicate the new requirements to their colleagues.

“They will be part of the sensitization group that will be going around the whole nation, so that they will be able to meet their colleagues and also inform them the way or how to use the roads in conducting their business.”

Vehicle owners face new towing obligations

The revised regulations also introduce requirements aimed at dealing with vehicles that break down or are involved in crashes on major roads.

Vehicle owners are required to subscribe to a towing service or have insurance cover that includes towing.

Under the new framework, broken-down or crashed vehicles on intercity roads and highways are expected to be cleared promptly to reduce the risk of secondary crashes and traffic disruption.

Authorities may remove vehicles that are left unattended, with provisions allowing them to be sold to recover applicable liabilities.

The measures are intended to improve the management of road incidents and ensure that disabled vehicles do not remain on major routes for extended periods.

Traffic enforcement goes digital

The revised framework also provides for greater use of technology in enforcing traffic laws.

Director of Research, Education and Training at the MTTD, ACP Alexander Kwaku Obeng, said the Ghana Police Service is moving towards a more automated system of identifying and processing traffic offences under the Traffitech-GH project.

He said the objective is to reduce reliance on conventional roadside arrests and move towards technology-driven enforcement.

“We want to move away from the in-traffic arrest, take you to the police station, process you, and take you to court for court to summarily adjudicate.”

The digital enforcement system is expected to support the identification of traffic offences and the application of penalties under the revised legal framework.

Stricter compliance expected

The regulations also introduce requirements relating to commercial transport registration, driver licensing, vehicle safety, emissions testing, helmets, child restraints and blood alcohol concentration.

Road transport companies and other transport-related service providers are required to meet registration requirements before operating, while commercial drivers and motorcycle operators must satisfy the relevant licensing conditions.

The nationwide dissemination exercise is therefore intended not only to educate road users but also to prepare them for stricter enforcement of the revised laws.

For government and the enforcement agencies, the broader objective is to improve compliance, strengthen road safety and modernize the administration and enforcement of Ghana's road transport system.

As the new regulations take effect, the effectiveness of the framework will ultimately depend on how consistently road users, transport operators and enforcement agencies apply the rules across the country.