President John Dramani Mahama has told motorists unhappy with the penalties under the newly introduced TraffiTech-GH traffic enforcement system to avoid speeding rather than complain about the cost of fines.
He said drivers who observed prescribed speed limits would have no reason to worry about penalties, insisting that compliance with traffic regulations was the straightforward way to avoid sanctions.
“If it [fines] is too expensive, then don’t overspend; that’s all, there is a solution to it,” the President said.
Mr Mahama made the remarks in an interview with 1957 News on the sidelines of the Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting (CHOGM) at Jumby Bay Island in Antigua and Barbuda, where he discussed the introduction of the automated traffic monitoring system and concerns surrounding its implementation.
His comments come amid public debate over the level of fines imposed under TraffiTech-GH, with some motorists questioning whether the penalties are proportionate, particularly given the condition of roads in parts of the country.
Compliance, not complaints
The president maintained that the enforcement of speed limits was necessary to address dangerous driving and reduce preventable road crashes.
He rejected suggestions that the government should postpone the deployment of the technology until roads and related infrastructure had been fully improved.
According to him, road repairs and traffic law enforcement should proceed together, since the condition of the country’s roads does not justify allowing motorists to exceed speed limits.
He cited the use of speed cameras in the United Kingdom, arguing that traffic enforcement technology was deployed there even though its road network was not without imperfections.
“My understanding is that Traffitech has begun with overspeeding; they have not yet added the other components of jumping red light, parking wrongly,” he said.
“And so I hear they [the public] say we should fix the roads before we introduce Traffitech. I mean, it doesn’t happen like that. The roads are not perfect in the UK, and yet they have speed cameras,” he added.
Speed cameras to carry warning signs
Despite defending the system, President Mahama has directed the police and agencies responsible for its implementation to install clear warning signs ahead of locations where speed cameras are deployed.
He said motorists should be informed when approaching monitored sections of the road, describing public notification as an important part of introducing technology-driven traffic enforcement.
“All I will urge is that the police and those implementing Traffitech should put signs showing where the cameras are, because that is one of the things you need to do if you are introducing this kind of innovation,” he said.
“You need to put signposts, warning motorists, that there is a speed camera ahead. I think that transparency is important,” he added.
The directive is intended to ensure that motorists are not taken by surprise by the monitoring system and are adequately informed about its operation.
Road safety at the centre of the debate
President Mahama also defended the need for stricter speed enforcement, pointing to the danger posed by speeding vehicles to pedestrians, particularly schoolchildren.
He said children returning from school were frequently knocked down by vehicles, with some losing their lives while others suffered injuries that left them permanently disabled.
“If you look at the number of children knocked down every year in Ghana when they are coming from school, you will understand why it is important for us to check over speeding. Children coming from school are knocked down and killed or permanently injured, and so it is important for us to check speeding,” he said.
The TraffiTech-GH system has initially focused on detecting speeding, with other traffic violations, including running red lights and illegal parking, expected to be incorporated into the wider enforcement framework.
The initiative forms part of efforts to strengthen compliance with road traffic regulations through technology and improve road safety.
While the President has acknowledged the need for transparency in the deployment of the cameras, his message to motorists concerned about the cost of penalties remains that observing speed limits is the surest way to avoid them.
