The Minister for Transport, Hon. Joseph Bukari Nikpe, has launched a nationwide dissemination and sensitisation exercise on the Road Traffic (Amendment) Act, 2025 (Act 1153) and the Road Traffic Regulations, 2026 (L.I. 2519) in Accra.

The exercise aims at strengthening road safety, improving traffic law enforcement and ensuring that road users understand and comply with the new regulations.

Speaking at the event, Hon. Bukari Nikpe said that the new legislative framework was the product of a thorough, transparent and participatory process involving key stakeholders, including Transport Operators, Road Safety Experts, the Ghana Police Service, Road Safety Advocates, Logistics Stakeholders, Okada Riders’ Associations, Parliamentary Committees, the National Insurance Commission and automotive standards experts.

He noted that following extensive consultations and engagements, the Road Traffic (Amendment) Act, 2025 (Act 1153) was passed by Parliament and assented to by the President on 24 December 2025, while Parliament approved the Road Traffic Regulations, 2026 (L.I. 2519) on 28 May 2026 to provide practical guidelines for the implementation of the amended law.

The Minister explained that the new legislative regime introduces several significant reforms, including automated traffic enforcement systems such as speed and red-light cameras, a demerit point system linked to drivers’ licences, stiffer penalties for serious traffic offences and a reduction in the legal blood alcohol limit from 0.08 to 0.05.

He added that the Regulations also establish stricter standards for commercial and public transport operations, including mandatory speed limits, rest intervals for long-distance drivers, improved vehicle inspection requirements, enhanced protection for vulnerable road users, stricter axle-load controls and specialised licensing for the transportation of hazardous goods.

A key feature of the new framework is the legal backing given to the commercial use of motorcycles, tricycles and quadricycles for fare-paying passenger services, creating a regulated pathway for persons engaged in or seeking to engage in such activities.

Hon. Bukari Nikpe explained that the framework would require appropriate training, licensing, protective equipment and compliance with established road-safety standards, while assuring the public that measures have been incorporated to promote the safe operation of such activities. He further noted that the implementation of the new driver licensing and vehicle registration number plate system is expected to commence early next year.

He stressed that the success of the new framework would depend not only on the laws themselves but also on effective implementation and the cooperation of all stakeholders, including the Ministry of Transport, the National Road Safety Authority (NRSA), the Driver and Vehicle Licensing Authority (DVLA), the Motor Traffic and Transport Department (MTTD) of the Ghana Police Service, the National Insurance Commission (NIC), the Ghana Highways Authority, Transport Unions, Operators and Pedestrians.

He therefore called on transport operators, law enforcement agencies, the media and all road users to take ownership of the new regulations and make road safety a daily responsibility, emphasising that no Ghanaian should lose their life by moving from one point to the other.

The Chief Director of the Ministry of Transport, Mr. William Kartey, in welcoming participants, said the evolving nature of Ghana’s transport sector made the establishment of a modern and robust governance framework necessary to respond to current developments and emerging challenges. He explained that the Ministry, working with various stakeholders, has reviewed the governance framework to ensure that it remains robust and aligns with modern development trends.

He called on stakeholders to actively engage on the provisions of the new framework and seek clarification on areas requiring further understanding, stressing that road safety is a shared responsibility and that every road user has a role to play in demanding and respecting the rules of the road.

“Road safety is a shared responsibility, and each of us must demand and respect the rules of the road,” he stated.

He urged all stakeholders and participants to actively participate in the sensitisation exercise to make Ghana’s roads safer for all users, noting that the launch marks the beginning of a nationwide public education campaign that will cover all 16 regions.