Killian Donkor, the Municipal Chief Executive (MCE) for Kpando, has engaged commercial motorcycle riders, popularly known as Okada riders, on the new digital traffic enforcement system scheduled to be rolled out in November.
The engagement brought together scores of Okada riders, representatives of the Ghana Police Service, officials of the Municipal Assembly and other stakeholders.
The new system, introduced by the Ghana Police Service, employs advanced cameras and other digital technologies to automatically detect traffic offences, with electronic penalty notices issued without the need for physical police interception.
Mr Donkor explained that the initiative formed part of government efforts to modernise traffic management, reduce direct interaction between motorists and law enforcement officers, and promote fairness and transparency in traffic law enforcement.
He said the system would detect offences such as speeding, jumping traffic lights, riding without crash helmets, wrongful overtaking and other traffic violations, with data transmitted to a central database for processing.
According to him, cameras have already been installed at strategic locations within the municipality, including the Bishop Herman Junction, the Commercial Bank area and the Margaret Marquart Catholic Hospital Junction.
Mr Donkor said the locations were selected based on accident records and traffic volumes, adding that additional cameras would be installed at other accident-prone areas as the project expands.
He cautioned riders that once a traffic violation was detected, the system would automatically generate a penalty notice linked to the motorcycle’s registration number, which would be sent to the registered owner via SMS.
He said failure to settle fines could result in sanctions, including the denial of services at the Driver and Vehicle Licensing Authority (DVLA), and urged riders to comply with road traffic regulations.
Beyond the digital enforcement system, Mr Donkor also sensitised the riders on road safety measures aimed at reducing accidents and protecting lives.
He advised them to avoid making or receiving phone calls while riding, obey traffic signals, refrain from reckless riding, and ensure that both riders and passengers wear crash helmets at all times.
Mr Donkor noted that Okada operations remained a major source of livelihood for many young people in the municipality and stressed the need for operators to conduct their activities responsibly.
He reaffirmed the Assembly’s commitment to enhancing road safety in the municipality and appealed to all road users to support efforts to make Kpando’s roads safer.
“Let us ride responsibly, obey traffic regulations and make Kpando’s roads safer for everyone,” he said.
Some Okada riders who spoke to the Ghana News Agency welcomed the engagement and described it as timely. They, however, appealed to the Assembly to organise regular training programmes and assist riders in acquiring valid licences and approved helmets.
The Kpando Divisional Police Commander assured the riders that the Police Service would intensify public education before full implementation of the system to ensure that all road users understood how it worked.