The Deputy Public Relations Officer of the Ghana Private Road Transport Union (GPRTU), Mr Samuel Amoah, has urged the government and key stakeholders to thoroughly educate the public on new laws and policies prior to their full implementation.
He stressed that accessibility, sustained public sensitization, and clear information must always precede the rollout of any new legislation or enforcement mechanism.
Addressing the issue on Nyankonton Mu Nsem, Mr Amoah noted that commercial drivers, who stand to be directly impacted by such measures, require adequate information regarding the operational details and consequences of non-compliance.
His remarks follow the introduction of TraffiTech-GH by the Ministry of the Interior—a tech-driven traffic enforcement system designed to detect, track, and penalize road traffic offenders automatically.
However, Mr Amoah revealed that most drivers only became aware of TraffiTech-GH through media reports, as the authorities are yet to engage the commercial transport sector formally.
“We welcome the new system. It is a way of improving our road system and helping to reduce road crashes, as well as resolving the harassment of drivers by police officers. However, we do not want it to be a nine-day wonder that gives some of the security agencies an undue advantage, which would not be in line with how the system is supposed to work,” he said.
He further emphasized the necessity of a broad sensitisation campaign to ensure complete clarity among all road users.
“The other point to raise is that there should be intensive public education so that the public, particularly drivers, will have a proper understanding of it. The new system should indeed achieve the objective for which it was introduced. With this system, drivers cannot deny wrongdoing, nor can the police fabricate offences against drivers. This should serve the interest of Ghanaians and not individual interests. We have several drivers’ unions, and it would be important to extend the education across the country. The education must be intensive, utilizing both traditional and new media to reach the people,” he added.
Mr Amoah also questioned the failure of the authorities to directly engage the leadership of the GPRTU, noting that such consultation would equip union executive officers with the necessary insights to effectively educate their members nationwide.
The system will use road surveillance devices—including fixed, mobile, vehicle-mounted, and handheld cameras, as well as radar—to detect traffic violations and record evidence.
Captured evidence is transmitted to a central control room for verification.
Once confirmed, an electronic notice containing the offence details, penalty amount, and payment instructions is sent to the offender.
By: Rainbowradioonline.com/Ghana
