Road Safety Advocates Ghana, a non-governmental organization has sued government over its failure to regulate the use of tricycles, popularly known as ‘Mahama Camboo.’

The group claims the use of tricycles for carrying passengers is unlawful and violates the road traffic regulation, LI 21/80, regulation 128, which prohibits the use of motorcycle or tricycle for commercial purposes.

The regulation states that a motorcycle or tricycle shall not be registered to carry a fare paying passenger. Such motorcycles and tricycles are not permitted to carry passengers for commercial purposes except for courier and delivery services.

The regulation also provides that no person shall ride as a fare-paying passenger and any person who contravenes the regulations above is liable to a summary conviction of a jail term.

In December 2015, the National Road Safety Commission (NRSC) and the police embarked on a major operation to arrest users of tricycles for commercial purposes in Tamale citing that their use is a violation of the road law.

According to the Road Safety Advocates, the motorcycle and tricycle are posing a clear and present danger to the lives of those who use it. Also, they say media reports that received suggest that any time these tricycle and motorcycles are involved in accidents they bring misery to families and loved ones and untold hardship to the owners of the motorcycle and tricycle. 

The organisation is, therefore, demanding that the public interest purpose is catered for by ensuring that those modes of transportation do not carry passengers, but use them for the purpose mandated by law.

Also, they want an order on the Motor Traffic and Transport Department (MTTD) of the Police Service authorizing any police officer, not below the rank of inspector in writing to prohibit the use of motorcycles.

In 2015, the Brong Ahafo coordinator of the Road Safety Commission kicked against the use of tricycles for carrying passengers in the region.

More than a 100 tricycles were distributed to young people in the Upper East and Northern regions by the Microfinance and Small Loans Centre (MASLOC) to be used as taxis to help reduce the transportation difficulties in the regions. 

According to Nana Annor Amihere of the Road Safety Advocates Ghana, MASLOC is on record to be distributing the tricycles in the three Northern regions of Ghana in clear view of violating the road law.

“We don’t have any issue with the tricycles, but the law is clear that they cannot be used for commercial purposes. We are basically saying the law must be amended regarding their use."

He explained that they are suing the AG and MASLOC because the governing National Democratic Congress (NDC) have the stated in the Green Book that MASLOC is distributing the tricycles to alleviate poverty in the three Northern regions.