Transport Ministry inaugurates committee to review ‘Okada’ operations

The Ministry of Transport has inaugurated a 13-member Inter-Agency Review Committee to review the Road Traffic Regulations 2012, L.I. 2180 that prohibits the use of motorcycles and tricycles for commercial purposes, popularly known as ‘Okada’.

The committee will focus on how such vehicles could be allowed to be used for fare-paying passenger services.

Currently, the use of motorcycles and tricycles for commercial purposes contravenes the existing road traffic regulations, posing challenges for enforcement and road safety.

The review is part of the government's efforts to address such issues and ensure a safer and more regulated transportation system.

Committee members

The committee, made up of key institutions and law enforcement representatives, has been given three weeks to amend the Road Traffic Regulation, hold stakeholder consultations and submit the report.

The members include Mabel Sagoe and Daniel Essel, both representing the Ministry of Transport (MOT), Iddisah Yeboah Seidu, Edmund Cheyuo and Bona Otuo Serebuor, from the Driver and Vehicle Licensing Authority (DVLA), as well as Commissioner of Police (COP) Peter Baba Atiniak and Chief Superintendent Alexander K. Obeng of the Motor Traffic and Transport Department (MTTD) of the Ghana Police Service.

Others are the acting Director-General of the National Road safety Authority (NRSA), Abraham Amaliba, Kwame Koduah Atuahene, also of NRSA, Frederica Sala IIliasu and Naa Martekai Sankah-Odumang, both of the Office of the Attorney General and Ministry of Justice.

The rest are Alhaji Mohammed Saani Adams from the Ministry of Youth Development and Empowerment, and a representative from the Ministry of Local Government, Chieftaincy and Religious Affairs.

Inauguration

The Minister of Transport, Joseph Bukari Nikpe, charged the committee to suggest possible amendments to the regulations, including the operational modalities for the implementation of commercial motorcycles and tricycles.

He urged them to focus on three key principles of safety, inclusivity and innovation.

“We aim to cultivate a road traffic environment that respects the rights of all users, fosters economic opportunities and embraces new technologies,” the minister said.

Committee task

Mr Nikpe said the task of the committee would involve discussions, data gathering and analysing best practices to ensure amendments to the Road Traffic Regulations to address safety concerns, while promoting economic benefits.

He said stakeholder consultations should be undertaken to elicit grassroots information from persons who operated commercial motorcycles and tricycles as well as those who relied on such services to shape the regulations.

“As many of you can bear witness, the use of motorcycles and tricycles for passenger carriage, popularly referred to as ‘Okada’ or, depending on which region they operate in, referred to as Pragya, Mahama can-do, Yellow Yellow, and Aboboya, has emerged as a vital mode of transport in the country,” the Transport Minister said.

Mr Nikpe added that such vehicles offered flexible and convenient services, helping passengers to save time while travelling and providing access to transport in areas with limited public transport or poor connectivity.

He explained that it was due to such reasons that the government was embarking on a journey to create a safer use of commercial motorcycles and tricycles in the country.

Mr Nikpe thanked members of the committee for availing themselves to serve on the committee, expressing his commitment to support them in carrying out their mandate.

The Chief Director of the MOT, Mabel Sagoe, expressed confidence in the committee's ability to deliver on its mandate within the given time frame.

She emphasised the importance of commitment from all members to complete the assignment, which aligned with the government's vision to commercialise motorcycle and tricycle operations.