President John Dramani Mahama has urged motorists unhappy with the penalties under the newly introduced TraffiTech-GH traffic enforcement system to comply with speed limits rather than complain about the cost of fines.
He said drivers who observed prescribed speed limits had no reason to worry about penalties, describing compliance with traffic regulations as the simplest 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.
His comments come amid public debate over the fines imposed under TraffiTech-GH, with some motorists questioning whether the penalties are proportionate, particularly in view of the condition of roads in some parts of the country.
The President maintained that enforcing speed limits was necessary to curb dangerous driving and reduce preventable road accidents.
He rejected calls for the government to delay the deployment of the technology until roads and related infrastructure had been fully improved, arguing that road maintenance and traffic law enforcement should proceed simultaneously.
Mr Mahama cited the use of speed cameras in the United Kingdom, noting that traffic enforcement technology was deployed there despite imperfections in the country’s road network.
He explained that the current phase of TraffiTech-GH focused on detecting overspeeding, with other violations, including running red lights and illegal parking, yet to be incorporated.
“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.
He added that the condition of Ghana’s roads should not be used as a justification for motorists to exceed speed limits.Despite defending the system, President Mahama has directed the Police and agencies responsible for implementing TraffiTech-GH to install clear warning signs ahead of locations where speed cameras are deployed.
He said motorists must be adequately informed when approaching monitored sections of roads, describing transparency as an important requirement for 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 aware of the monitored locations and are not taken by surprise by the enforcement system.The President also highlighted the dangers of speeding, particularly to pedestrians and schoolchildren.
He said children returning from school were frequently knocked down by vehicles, with some losing their lives while others sustained injuries that resulted in permanent disabilities.
“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 overspeeding. Children coming from school are knocked down and killed or permanently injured, and so it is important for us to check speeding,” he said.
TraffiTech-GH initially focuses on detecting speeding, while other traffic violations, such as running red lights and illegal parking, are expected to be incorporated into the wider enforcement framework.
