The Minister for Transport, Joseph Bukari Nikpe, has assured the public that the government will fully enforce all road traffic regulations following Parliament’s passage of the Road Traffic Amendment Bill, 2025.

The bill, passed on Wednesday, December 10, will legalise the commercial use of quadricycles, tricycles, and motorcycles popularly known as Okada, once President John Mahama gives his assent.

Speaking to journalists in Parliament, the Transport Minister said the Driver and Vehicle Licensing Authority (DVLA) and the National Road Safety Authority (NRSA) would strengthen enforcement to ensure public safety when the law comes into force.

Explaining the safety measures included in the new law, he said, “The bill seeks to provide limits on alcohol concentration in drivers. We have noticed, of late, the behaviour of drivers on our roads and the road accidents that lead to injuries and deaths.

"We believe that the then alcohol concentration allowed in the earlier law had an influence on drivers, whether they are drunk and driving, fatigued and driving, or careless on the roads and not keeping proper concentration. So we brought it down from 0.08% to 0.05%"

He also highlighted reforms aimed at allowing more young people to participate in commercial riding.

“We also looked at the age limit. A lot of our youth who have an interest in engaging in commercial driving or riding had issues with the age requirement. Hitherto, it was 25 years before you could do commercial business as a driver or a rider. But we have reviewed and amended the Act to allow our youth who are 21 years of age to engage in these commercial activities.”

According to him, Okada riders will be required to follow strict procedures. “You have to register as a commercial motor rider. You have to belong to a union. You also have to meet the standards that the DVLA will set in terms of protective gear, the helmet, and the kind of motorbike you must use. So there are processes that you must go through before you can engage in this business.”

On enforcement, the Minister said commercial riders must show high levels of responsibility.

“You are going to carry people behind you. You have to respect yourself and respect your passengers so you can continue to be in business. The law has prescribed punishment for road traffic offenders, including Okada riders, who will get the opportunity.”

He also said the government is considering long-term road design improvements to benefit Okada riders.

“Whether we create special lanes for them or not, I believe that as we develop as a country, such provisions will come. The Minister for Roads and Highways is very passionate about road development and design. His experience is an advantage for us. With the government’s resolve to roll out more road projects, we hope new roads will have designs that create lanes for motorcycle riders.”

However, he said that the success of the new system depends on discipline.

“Whether riders use the same routes with vehicles or have separate lanes, they still have to be disciplined. And the good thing is that we now have a legal framework that will bind them and allow punishment where they offend the law.”

The Minister also highlighted some developments in the new peak-hour buses initiative introduced to help stranded commuters get home safely.

“The briefs I got yesterday and today show that it is going well, and we are happy that we are assisting commuters to get home safely after they close from work. There is a need, and we are still adding on every day.

"When we are able to mobilise, we add to the fleet that we already have. We want to ensure that, at the end of the day, we will no longer have people stranded along our roads,” he said.