The Minister for Transport, Hon. Joseph Bukari Nikpe, has called for stronger collaboration, enforcement and practical interventions to reduce motorcycle-related crashes and fatalities across Ghana and Africa.

Speaking at the opening of the Third Safe African Helmets Initiative (SAHI) Summit in Accra, the Minister said the growing use of motorcycles as a means of transportation must be matched with deliberate measures to protect riders and passengers.

The Minister noted that motorcycles play an important role in moving people and goods but remain a major road-safety concern, highlighting that 1,345 of the 2,949 road fatalities recorded in Ghana in 2025 involved motorcycle crashes. He said the government has adopted a proactive approach encompassing education, enforcement and emergency response.

He added that recent road traffic reforms have also introduced measures including a separate category of commercial rider licence, a minimum age of 21 for commercial riders and drivers, improved helmet standards, reduced blood alcohol limits and child-restraint requirements.

Hon. Bukari Nikpe further disclosed that the National Road Safety Authority (NRSA), Driver and Vehicle Licensing Authority (DVLA) and Ghana Standards Authority (GSA) are strengthening the certification and surveillance of helmets on the Ghanaian market to prevent the circulation of sub-standard products. He also announced plans to strengthen traffic enforcement, including the use of speed cameras, while making structured rider education through DVLA-accredited training schools mandatory and expanding road-safety education in local languages.

The Minister also underscored the importance of the Safe African Helmets Initiative (SAHI) as a platform for continental cooperation, noting that no African country can address motorcycle safety in isolation.

He proposed three areas of common action for consideration by the Summit: the development of a shared African helmet standard, the establishment of a permanent cross-border learning network, and a harmonised curriculum for commercial rider training across participating countries.

The Minister said Ghana's participation in SAHI reflects Government's commitment to building safer and more resilient transport systems, adding that improved crash data would also be pursued through deeper cooperation with the Africa Road Safety Observatory and the World Health Organisation. He expressed the hope that when the Initiative reconvenes next year, participating countries would return with measurable progress in lives saved and injuries prevented rather than renewed promises.

The Third SAHI Summit brings together governments, road-safety institutions, development partners, experts, rider associations, civil society and academia from across Africa and beyond to advance practical strategies for motorcycle safety.

The Minister commended the FIA Foundation, Transaid, and participating partners for their support and for organising the summit.