The Ghanaian government has introduced new regulations that increase the jail term for persons found preaching or hawking in moving commercial vehicles. According to the Road Traffic Regulations, 2026 (L.I. 2519), offenders will now face a prison sentence of between three and eight months, up from the previous 30 days. Additionally, they will be fined between 10 and 50 penalty units, which translates to GH¢120 and GH¢600.
The new regulations prohibit causing or permitting a nuisance, including preaching and hawking, on a public or commercial vehicle while it is in motion. Previously, offenders could be fined up to 50 penalty units, jailed, or subjected to both penalties. However, the revised regulations maintain the 10 to 50 penalty unit fine but extend the maximum prison sentence to eight months. This move aims to address indiscipline on Ghana's roads and improve compliance with road traffic laws and regulations.
The full implementation of the automated traffic law enforcement programme, TRAFFITECH-GH, has been postponed from October 1 to November 1. The Ghana Police Service announced the postponement to allow for more extensive public awareness and education on the programme. The programme will detect traffic offences on the country's roads through cameras and Personal Data Assistant (PDA) devices. Vehicle owners or drivers will receive Electronic Notices of Violation (ENV) after their offences are reviewed.
The TRAFFITECH-GH programme forms part of efforts by the Ghana Police Service to address indiscipline on Ghana's roads and improve compliance with road traffic laws and regulations. According to the Director of Education, Research and Training at the Motor Traffic and Transport Department (MTTD), ACP Alexander Kwaku Obeng, the introduction of a technology-driven traffic enforcement system will not replace police presence on the roads. Instead, it will assist the police in detecting traffic offences.
The National Road Safety Authority (NRSA) has warned that abandoned vehicles on roads that are not promptly towed will be auctioned by the government. Vehicle owners will be required to subscribe to a towing service or obtain an insurance policy that includes towing cover. Owners will be given seven days' notice before the auction takes place after the vehicle has been abandoned for 21 days.
The NRSA has emphasized that the upcoming system will not exclude motorists, and vehicles must be towed immediately after breaking down. The law now requires that vehicles be towed as soon as they break down, without the previous 30-minute or one-hour grace period. If the vehicle is not towed, it will be auctioned after 21 days, with the state confiscating the vehicle and possibly scrapping it if the sale is unsuccessful.
The new regulations and programmes aim to improve road safety and discipline in Ghana. The Ghana Police Service and the NRSA have urged motorists, drivers, and vehicle owners to take advantage of the additional period to familiarize themselves with the programme ahead of the rollout. The authorities have also encouraged the public to report any instances of abandoned vehicles or traffic offences.
Key points
- The Ghanaian government has increased the jail term for preaching and hawking in commercial vehicles to between three and eight months.
- The automated traffic law enforcement programme, TRAFFITECH-GH, has been postponed to November 1 to allow for more extensive public awareness and education.
- Abandoned vehicles on roads that are not promptly towed will be auctioned by the government.
