The Director-General of the National Road Safety Authority (NRSA), Mr Abraham Amaliba, has announced a set of reforms aimed at reducing road crashes and deaths across Ghana.
The measures include mandatory vehicle towing, the nationwide introduction of Traffic Tech, stronger public education campaigns, stricter helmet enforcement, and the appointment of Regional Ministers and Metropolitan, Municipal and District Chief Executives as Road Safety Ambassadors.
Mr Amaliba disclosed the reforms during a courtesy call on the Upper East Regional Minister, Mr Akamugri Donatus Atanga, in Bolgatanga as part of a nationwide stakeholder engagement tour.
He said the reforms, which are expected to begin next year, form part of a broader effort to address the rising number of road deaths and remove human interference from traffic law enforcement.
According to him, road crashes are claiming more lives than many people realise and deserve greater national attention.
Mr Amaliba said one major reform would be the implementation of Legislative Instrument (LI) 2519, which introduces mandatory towing services for all vehicle owners.
Under the policy, motorists must register with either a towing company or an insurance provider that can remove broken-down vehicles from the road.
He explained that stalled vehicles have contributed to many fatal crashes. If vehicle owners fail to arrange towing, authorities will remove the vehicle and charge the owner.
The NRSA boss also announced that Traffic Tech, a technology-driven traffic enforcement system, will replace manual enforcement from next year. The system will use speed cameras mounted on roads, patrol vehicles and tripods to detect offences such as speeding and running red lights.
Offenders, he said, will receive text messages along with a three-second video clip showing the violation before they are required to pay the appropriate penalty.
Mr Amaliba added that the Authority will spend the next six months on nationwide public education and sensitisation, with full implementation of the new systems expected in 2027.
The Upper East Regional Minister welcomed the reforms, describing innovation as essential to tackling the country’s road safety problems.
He pledged the support of the Regional Coordinating Council and urged influential people to stop interfering with traffic law enforcement.
Mr Atanga also appealed to the NRSA to help repair faulty traffic lights in Bolgatanga, Navrongo, Sandema and Bawku to improve road safety and aid security operations.
He further identified the low use of helmets among motorbike riders in the region as a major cause of road fatalities and called for stronger enforcement in addition to public education.
As part of the tour, Mr Amaliba, accompanied by senior NRSA officials, also visited the Bolgatanga Municipal Chief Executive, the Ghana Police Service, and Sumbrungu-Anateem, an area known for frequent crashes.
