By Eric Appah Marfo, GNA
Accra, Sept. 9, GNA – Mr Joseph Bukari Nikpe, the Minister of Transport, has challenged commercial motorcycle, tricycle and quadricycle riders to demonstrate that the legalisation of their operations will not result in increased road crashes and fatalities.
He said although concerns had been raised on safety issues due to the commercialising of their operations, riders had the opportunity to prove that they could operate safely, responsibly and in compliance with road traffic regulations.
“Let us impress Ghanaians. Let us prove to Ghanaians. Let us show Ghanaians that this Okada legalisation will not bring any bad news to anybody using our roads. Do not let us regret of going to Parliament for this amendment,” he said.
Mr Nikpe made the call in Accra on Tuesday when he launched the “Safe Journey” Road Safety 2026 Campaign, organised by the National Road Safety Authority (NRSA), in partnership with Somoco Ghana Limited, a dealer in motorcycle, tricycle and quadricycles.
The campaign is to promote responsible road-user behaviour, compliance with road traffic regulations and a sustained reduction in road crashes, injuries and fatalities, with particular attention to motorcycle and tricycle riders.
The Minister said motorcycles and other such vehicles enabled people to get to their workplaces, businesses and other destinations where conventional transport services might not operate.
He said developing countries, including Ghana, faced resource constraints that made it difficult to provide sufficient conventional transport services to meet all mobility needs.
The Minister said commercialisation of motorcycles, tricycles and quadricycles was important because they provided last-mile connectivity to communities underserved by traditional public transport, while contributing to economic activity and job creation.
Mr Nikpe said the initiative followed amendments to the Road Traffic Regulations, with the Ministry of Transport and its agencies required to undertake awareness creation, education, training and insurance arrangements to ensure that the new regime operated within the law.
He said the Ministry had held extensive engagements with stakeholders and citizens who questioned the decision to legalise commercial motorcycle operations because of concerns about road crashes and fatalities.
Mr Nikpe said the success of the initiative depended largely on the willingness of riders to obey road traffic regulations and operate safely.
He urged riders to respect road signs and other road users and cited the experiences of Togo and Rwanda, where motorcycle riders demonstrated greater compliance with road traffic regulations.
He said a delegation from Ghana had also visited Rwanda to learn from its road safety practices and observed the orderly manner in which riders operated and respected road traffic regulations.
The Minister said the government was committed to working with the NRSA, Driver and Vehicle Licensing Authority (DVLA), Ghana Police Service and other relevant agencies to sensitise, educate and guide riders.
Mr Abraham Amaliba, the Director-General, NRSA, said road safety was a shared national responsibility and could not be left to the Authority alone.
He said speeding, reckless overtaking, riding without appropriate protective equipment, ignoring traffic signals, riding under the influence of alcohol or drugs and improperly carrying passengers could have devastating consequences.
Mr Amaliba said no delivery, passenger or journey was so important that a rider should risk his or her life by speeding or ignoring traffic regulations.
Sustainable road safety, he noted, could not be achieved through enforcement alone and required education, engagement, cooperation, enforcement and continuous collaboration among stakeholders.
Mr Amaliba said the campaign would, therefore, place emphasis on targeted nationwide education, stakeholder collaboration and community engagement.
He said the Authority needed the support of the Transport Ministry, Ghana Police Service, DVLA, local authorities, transport unions, commercial operators, motorcycle and tricycle associations, traditional and community leaders, civil society organisations, the private sector and the media to achieve its goals.
Mr Nii Ayi Hyde, the Managing Director of Somoco Ghana Limited, in a speech read on his behalf, said the company regarded road safety as an important responsibility because its business involved putting thousands of motorcycles and tricycles on Ghana’s roads.
Every road death represented a person, including a breadwinner, parent or young rider trying to make a living, he said, and that behind every statistic was a family whose journey had ended prematurely.
Mr Hyde noted that it was not enough for the company to sell motorcycles and tricycles that moved efficiently, adding that safety had to be incorporated into the entire process from the point of sale to the final mile.
He said Somoco, together with the NRSA, was committed to practical interventions including rider training, licensing support, promotion of helmets and protective gear, safety education at the point of sale and consistent safety messaging at Okada parks, delivery routes and communities.
Mr Hyde urged riders to wear helmets, respect routes and protect their passengers, while encouraging dealers and partners to carry the safety message forward.
Representatives of motorcycle rider associations commended NRSA and Somoco for the initiative and pledged their support for the government’s commercialisation agenda.
They urged riders to make road safety a priority and heed the safety advice given by the authorities.
GNA
Edited by Agnes Boye-Doe
9 Sept. 2026
Reporter: Eric Appah Marfo