CUTS International Accra, a leading research and public policy think tank, is urging the Government to postpone the full enforcement of TRAFFITECH-GH, scheduled to commence on 1 October 2026, until traffic infrastructure at enforcement locations has been thoroughly inspected and necessary repairs completed.
CUTS supports the use of technology to strengthen compliance with road traffic regulations and help reduce road crashes. However, effective and fair enforcement depends on basic road infrastructure being functional, visible and clearly understood. Traffic lights must be clearly visible to motorists, speed limits must be properly displayed, and road markings must be distinct and easy to follow. The installation of enforcement cameras cannot, on its own, correct faults in the road infrastructure they are intended to monitor.
“Government should hold motorists accountable to the law, but it must also ensure that the law is clear and visible on the road,” CUTS said. “The objective of TRAFFITECH-GH should be safer roads, not the issuance of penalties based on traffic lights that motorists could not clearly see.”
In several parts of Accra, overgrown trees obstruct the visibility of traffic lights, while some signal heads are damaged, displaced or non-functional. At certain intersections, one of two traffic signals may be operational while the other remains out of service. Faded lane markings and stop lines further contribute to uncertainty and confusion for road users.
These infrastructure deficiencies pose risks to both motorists and pedestrians, even before an enforcement camera records an alleged violation.
CUTS has expressed particular concern about traffic lights along the Nsawam-Accra Road, shortly before the Apenkwa-Achimota overhead bridge, and at the Police Training Academy junction in Tesano. At these locations, the traffic lights have reportedly shifted from their intended positions and are no longer clearly visible to approaching motorists, while the TRAFFITECH-GH cameras appear to be correctly positioned.
CUTS is therefore calling for a comprehensive inspection and repair of traffic infrastructure at all TRAFFITECH-GH enforcement points before full enforcement begins. Authorities should inspect both enforcement sites from each approaching lane. A camera may capture a vehicle crossing on red, even if the driver could not clearly see the signal. This issue is not unique. As CUTS noted, “A camera’s clear view of a vehicle does not mean the driver has a clear view of the relevant signal or sign.”
The Ghana Police Service and the Department of Urban Roads should conduct thorough inspections of every enforcement location from the driver’s perspective. The inspection should address visibility issues for each affected lane, including conditions at night and during rain. Authorities need to document the status of every signal, sign, lane marking, and stop line before fines are issued at that location. They should then repair and realign any displaced lights, restore failed signal heads, trim vegetation, and repaint essential markings. Automated fines for specific offences should only begin once all necessary road features are functioning and clearly visible.
Regulation 211 of the Road Traffic Regulations, 2026 (L.I. 2519) establishes general speed limits based on the type and location of the road. Regulation 212 specifies limits for particular classes of vehicles, while Regulation 213(3) addresses the use of speed cameras and safety signage. However, these regulations do not eliminate the need to inform drivers about the applicable speed limit where a camera is in operation. Drivers unfamiliar with an area may not recognise where a built-up zone begins or where lower speed limits apply near schools, markets, or other high-pedestrian areas.
Therefore, CUTS urges authorities to install clear speed limit signs before every TRAFFITECH-GH speed camera and in locations where speed limits change. Drivers should receive adequate warning on the road before an automated system issues a fine for exceeding the speed limit.
