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
The report indicates that 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.
It further notes that 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.
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 stated 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 stated 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 stated 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.”
With commercial motorcycle operations now receiving specific regulatory attention, the Minister stated sustained engagement with Okada riders would be critical to ensuring compliance.
Mr Nikpe stated 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.”
