BY ISSAH OLEGOR
CUTS International Accra has called on the government to delay the full enforcement of TRAFFITECH-GH, scheduled to begin on October 1, 2026, until authorities have inspected and repaired traffic infrastructure at locations where automated enforcement cameras are to operate.
The research and public policy think tank said it supports the use of technology to improve compliance with road traffic regulations and reduce road crashes, but argued that automated enforcement must be accompanied by clear and functional road infrastructure.
According to CUTS, drivers should be able to clearly see traffic lights, identify applicable speed limits and follow visible road markings before they are subjected to automated penalties.
“Government should hold drivers to the law. Government must also make the law clear and visible on the road,” CUTS said.
“The purpose of TRAFFITECH-GH is safer roads, not tickets arising from traffic lights drivers could not see,” it added.
CUTS said conditions at some roads and junctions in Accra could make automated enforcement problematic if the system is activated without first addressing existing infrastructure defects.
The organisation said overgrown trees obscure some traffic lights, while other signal heads are damaged, displaced or out of service.
At some junctions, CUTS noted, one of two traffic lights may be functioning while the other is not.
The think tank also raised concerns about faded lane markings and stop lines, arguing that such conditions could create uncertainty for motorists and pedestrians even before an automated camera records an alleged traffic violation.
“A camera’s clear view of a vehicle does not mean the driver has a clear view of the relevant signal or sign,” CUTS said.
CUTS has drawn particular attention to traffic lights located along the Nsawam-Accra Road shortly before the Apenkwa-Achimota overhead bridge and at the Police Training Academy junction in Tesano.
According to the organisation, the traffic lights at these locations have reportedly shifted from clear view for approaching motorists, even though the TRAFFITECH-GH cameras appear to be correctly positioned.
CUTS said authorities should inspect the two locations from the perspective of motorists approaching from each lane before automated enforcement begins.
The concern, it explained, is that a camera could capture a vehicle crossing a junction on a red signal even where the driver may not have had a clear view of the relevant traffic light.
The think tank said the issue should not be viewed as an isolated problem because similar conditions could exist at other enforcement locations.
CUTS is therefore urging the Ghana Police Service and the Department of Urban Roads to conduct a comprehensive inspection of every location where TRAFFITECH-GH enforcement will take place.
