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Full rollout of TRAFFITECH-GH traffic system moves to 1 November

The police say the later start leaves more weeks to explain the automated system to road users.

Listen · 1:020:00 / 1:02

Pinned summary · as of

Full enforcement of TRAFFITECH-GH, the Ghana Police Service's automated traffic system, will now begin on 1 November. The later date is meant to buy the police longer to brief motorists and the wider public before the system operates in full.

What we know

  • The police have deferred the full start of the TRAFFITECH-GH automated traffic scheme to 1 November.
  • The delay is intended to give the Ghana Police Service more room to inform and educate the public before the system runs in full.

What's disputed / unconfirmed

  • Starr FM reported that the Ghana Police Service shifted the start from 1 October to 1 November 2026, and that the Motor Traffic and Transport Department (MTTD) will use the time to engage key stakeholders as well as the public.
  • ACP Alexander Kwaku Obeng, the MTTD's Director of Education, Research and Training, told Starr News that the additional window, described as about 10 to 30 days, is required since numerous offences previously handled in court will now bring automated fines. This has not been confirmed in other reports.
  • According to Starr FM, ACP Obeng argued that the longer runway lets the police reach vehicle owners, companies, professional bodies, importers, transport unions and cooperatives to win their understanding and support, and that caution notices already being issued are sensitising many road users.
  • Starr FM reported that the police consider wider engagement through the media and other channels essential, even though equipment is installed and staff have been trained.
  • Starr FM described the system as using cameras, sensors and other devices to spot selected offences, pass the evidence on for checking, then send electronic notices to the registered owners. It added that a motorist normally gets a fortnight to answer a notice and can still choose to go to court.
  • Channel One TV reported that Bernard Avle and Godfred Akoto Boafo used the Citi Breakfast Show to weigh the possible benefits of the delay, the need to educate the public and existing problems in Ghana's road management.
  • OmanGhana reported that CUTS International Ghana wants the MTTD to hold off full enforcement until January 2027, citing worries about public education, vehicle ownership records and whether people can afford the fines. The call is not reflected in other reports.
  • Appiah Kusi Adomako, Country Director of CUTS International Ghana, proposed on 1 October 2026 a three-month trial before any money penalties apply, OmanGhana reported. Under the idea, drivers flagged between October and December would get text messages about their offences without paying, while officials explain the system, fix operational weaknesses and build public confidence.
  • According to OmanGhana, CUTS International Ghana said official registration details often differ from who actually drives the vehicles, with thousands driven by people absent from the Driver and Vehicle Licensing Authority's database. It warned that former owners could be fined for offences committed after they sold a vehicle if this is not resolved.
  • OmanGhana reported that CUTS International Ghana raised concerns about the cost of penalties for commercial drivers and consumers on low incomes, and argued that fines seen as unaffordable could weaken compliance and public acceptance. The group said it backs technology for road safety, and Mr Adomako said the focus should be preventing crashes and encouraging responsible driving, with fair application of penalties.
  • CUTS International Ghana, as reported by OmanGhana, urged the MTTD to spend the suggested grace period stepping up public education and to work with relevant institutions on database and administrative problems before full enforcement starts.

Why it matters for Ghana

Drivers, vehicle owners and transport operators in Accra and other towns now have until 1 November before automated enforcement applies in full. Some of the proposals reported would change how penalties are applied, so owners may want to check that vehicle records are up to date. How the police use the extra weeks will shape how well motorists understand the system when fines begin.

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