…..Swedish-Ghanaian firm grabbing 40% fines amid potholes, broken traffic lights & unmarked roads
The implementation of Ghana’s controversial TraffiTech-GH automated traffic enforcement programme is generating growing concerns among motorists, with questions being raised about what critics describe as a form of state-sponsored extortion, particularly as a private company stands to receive 40 percent of traffic fines collected under an 11-year agreement signed during the administration of former President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo.
The controversy comes against the backdrop of deteriorating road infrastructure, malfunctioning traffic lights, inadequate road markings, broken streetlights and missing speed-limit signs across several parts of the country, including the national capital, Accra.
For many motorists, the concern is not necessarily about enforcing road traffic regulations or reducing accidents and fatalities, but about the apparent contradiction between the government’s failure to provide safe, properly maintained roads and its decision to introduce a technology-driven system that imposes financial penalties on drivers.
The Herald has observed that while motorists are being subjected to automated surveillance and traffic fines, many roads remain riddled with potholes, lack visible lane markings and have poorly maintained traffic signals, creating conditions in which drivers are sometimes compelled to make sudden manoeuvres to avoid accidents.
There are even reports of motorists being issued tickets after swerving to avoid potholes, raising questions about whether the automated enforcement system adequately distinguishes dangerous driving from emergency manoeuvres undertaken to prevent accidents.
The concerns have been compounded by revelations that a private company, Nationwide Traffic Management & Enforcement Limited (NTMEL), is entitled to a substantial share of revenue from traffic fines.
Under the reported revenue-sharing arrangement, the government retains 60 percent of the fines collected, while NTMEL receives the remaining 40 percent. Strangely, the deal was not implemented during the Akufo-Addo administration after its adoption in 2022.
This means that for every GH¢100 a motorist pays for a traffic violation, GH¢60 goes to the government, while GH¢40 goes to the private operator.
The arrangement has raised questions about whether traffic enforcement, which is fundamentally a public regulatory responsibility, is gradually becoming a revenue-generating commercial enterprise for private investors.
Although the programme is officially intended to improve road safety and reduce fatalities, critics are questioning whether the financial incentives attached to the contract could undermine its public safety objectives.
The controversial agreement was signed in December 2022, during the Akufo-Addo administration, for an 11-year period expected to end in December 2033. Information attributed to the Ministry of Finance’s 2024 Public-Private Partnership Report indicates that the project involves an estimated investment of GH¢77.73 million.
The contract provides for the deployment and operation of automated traffic enforcement technology, including speed detection cameras, red-light monitoring systems and associated software.
NTMEL, the private company involved in implementing the programme, is jointly owned by Ghanaian businessman Frank Osei, who holds a controlling 60 per cent stake, and Sensys Gatso International B.V., which holds the remaining 40 per cent.
Sensys Gatso International B.V. is associated with Sweden’s Sensys Gatso Group, an international traffic safety technology company listed on Nasdaq Stockholm.
The reported ownership structure means that the Ghanaian businessman controls the majority shareholding in the joint venture, while the Swedish company holds a substantial minority interest.
The Swedish company’s 40 per cent ownership interest entitles it to a corresponding share of the joint venture’s profits, subject to the company’s financial performance and applicable agreements.
In a statement issued on September 10, 2026, Sensys Gatso Group confirmed that its joint venture, NTMEL, would support the launch and continued operation of Ghana’s TraffiTech-GH National Road Safety Programme.
The company disclosed that the joint venture had been established to assist the Government of Ghana in implementing a national road safety programme under the 11-year contract signed in December 2022.
It further revealed that total contract revenue for the joint venture over the remaining contract period was estimated at approximately SEK600 million, with Sensys Gatso entitled to a 40 per cent share of profits.
The projected revenue represents a substantial commercial opportunity for the private operator, although it does not constitute guaranteed profit.
According to the company, the programme would require additional investment in equipment, operational infrastructure and other assets during its initial implementation period.
Sensys Gatso indicated that the joint venture was expected to become profitable after the initial investment and operational expansion phase.
The company’s Chief Executive Officer, Lew Miller, described the Ghanaian programme as an opportunity to expand the group’s international operations while contributing to improved road safety.
“At Sensys Gatso, we are committed to saving lives by changing driver behavior,” he stated.
He said the Ghanaian initiative would enable the company to deploy its experience and technology to improve road safety.
Similarly, NTMEL’s Managing Director, Edmar van der Weijden, welcomed the regulatory arrangements supporting the programme.
“With the revision of the Road Traffic Act and the passing of the 2026 Road Traffic Regulations, we now have a solid regulatory foundation for the program to commence,” he said.
The programme was scheduled to begin issuing live traffic citations on October 1, following a period of testing and public sensitisation.
However, the implementation of the programme has exposed longstanding concerns about Ghana’s road infrastructure and the apparent failure of successive governments to provide motorists with safe driving conditions.
Across Accra and other major urban centres, motorists frequently encounter roads without clearly marked lanes, pedestrian crossings or adequate warning signs. In some communities, traffic lights have remained non-functional for extended periods, forcing drivers to negotiate busy intersections without effective traffic control.
Streetlights are also out of service along several major roads and residential streets, creating dangerous conditions for motorists and pedestrians, particularly at night.
The current Greater Accra Regional Minister, Linda Obenewaa Akweley Ocloow, who also serves as Member of Parliament for Shai-Osudoku, promised during her vetting to address the problem of malfunctioning streetlights, but concerns persist about the pace of repairs and the continued darkness along several roads.
For motorists, the question is whether it is fair for the state to impose strict automated penalties while failing to discharge its responsibility to provide adequate road infrastructure. The situation becomes particularly troubling where speed-limit signs are missing, obscured or inadequately positioned.
Drivers are expected to comply with legally prescribed speed limits, but the absence of visible signs on some roads can create uncertainty about applicable restrictions, particularly for motorists unfamiliar with those routes.
The concern is that motorists could be penalized for violations in areas where the authorities have failed to provide adequate information or warnings.
There is also the issue of potholes, which frequently compel drivers to swerve suddenly, change lanes or take evasive action to avoid damaging their vehicles.
Where such manoeuvres are captured by automated cameras, questions arise about whether the system can adequately assess the circumstances surrounding an alleged offence.
A motorist attempting to avoid a pothole, pedestrian or other immediate danger should have a meaningful opportunity to challenge a citation and present evidence explaining the circumstances.
Another major concern relates to Ghana’s persistent highway robbery problem, particularly on some interregional roads where motorists and commercial transport operators have faced attacks by armed criminals.
Over the years, the security situation on certain routes has become so serious that military and police personnel have occasionally been deployed to escort passenger vehicles travelling between regions.
Such security arrangements have been necessary because of attacks on buses and other vehicles, some of which have resulted in injuries, deaths and the loss of passengers’ property.
Against this background, questions are being raised about how automated traffic enforcement systems would treat motorists who exceed speed limits while attempting to escape an imminent armed robbery or other security threat.
A driver confronted by armed robbers may accelerate to escape danger rather than stop and risk being attacked.
The concern is whether the automated system has adequate safeguards to distinguish deliberate speeding from situations involving immediate threats to life.
Similar concerns arise over incidents involving criminals using motorcycles, popularly known as “Okada”, to attack motorists trapped in traffic.
While road safety regulations remain necessary, critics argue that enforcement must take into account exceptional circumstances in which strict compliance could expose motorists to danger.
The authorities must therefore explain whether drivers issued citations under such circumstances can challenge the penalties and what evidence would be required to establish an emergency.
Another criticism concerns the scale and timing of the TraffiTech-GH rollout.
Questions have been raised about whether the government should have implemented a more extensive pilot programme in selected parts of Accra and other major cities before expanding automated enforcement nationwide.
A properly evaluated pilot could have allowed the authorities to identify technical difficulties, assess public understanding, examine the accuracy of automated citations and establish effective procedures for resolving disputes.
It could also have provided an opportunity to assess whether road markings, speed-limit signs, traffic lights and other essential infrastructure were adequate at proposed enforcement locations.
Instead, concerns have emerged about whether the level of public education undertaken before the programme’s introduction was sufficient.
Although officials have appeared on radio and television to explain aspects of the initiative, critics argue that occasional media engagements are inadequate for a programme that directly affects millions of motorists.
A comprehensive public education campaign would require sustained engagement with commercial drivers, transport unions, private motorists, vehicle owners and communities across the country.
Motorists need clear information about the offences being monitored, applicable penalties, payment procedures, evidence requirements and mechanisms for challenging disputed citations.
The programme’s operators must also explain how the technology works, who validates alleged offences and whether penalties are issued automatically or only after review by authorized personnel.
The concerns surrounding TraffiTech-GH have been aggravated by reports of fraudsters exploiting the programme to deceive unsuspecting motorists.
Shortly after the commencement of automated traffic enforcement, fake text messages purporting to notify vehicle owners of traffic violations began circulating. Some messages directed recipients to fraudulent websites designed to imitate official payment platforms, while others demanded immediate payment or offered purported discounts on fines.
The Ghana Police Service has warned motorists against responding to suspicious messages or transferring money to personal mobile money accounts. According to police guidance, genuine TraffiTech-GH notifications originate from the sender identification “GPS-MTTD”.
Official notices are expected to contain relevant details, including the vehicle registration number, ticket number, alleged offense, location, date, time, penalty, and payment deadline.
The police have also directed motorists to use approved government payment channels rather than personal accounts or unauthorized websites.
The Driver and Vehicle Licensing Authority (DVLA) has similarly warned about fraudulent messages directing motorists to fake payment platforms.
The emergence of these scams has reinforced concerns about public education and the need for stronger safeguards to protect motorists from criminals taking advantage of the new enforcement system.
TraffiTech-GH is being implemented as a technology-driven road safety and traffic enforcement initiative involving the Ghana Police Service, particularly its Motor Traffic and Transport Department (MTTD), and other government stakeholders.
Institutions associated with the broader programme include the Ministry of the Interior, Ministry of Finance, National Road Safety Authority, Driver and Vehicle Licensing Authority, National Insurance Commission and National Identification Authority.
The involvement of multiple state institutions has prompted questions about their respective responsibilities, particularly concerning data protection, vehicle registration information, identification of offenders, revenue collection and accountability.
Motorists are also entitled to know how their personal information is obtained, processed, stored and shared with the private technology operator.
The government must clarify the legal safeguards governing access to vehicle ownership records and other personal information used in identifying motorists suspected of traffic violations.
Equally important is the question of who exercises final authority over the issuance of penalties and whether the private operator has any role beyond supplying and maintaining the enforcement technology.
Despite the criticisms, Ghana’s road safety challenges remain significant.
According to figures cited by Sensys Gatso in its September 10 statement, road traffic crashes claimed 2,949 lives in Ghana in 2025, compared with 2,494 in 2024.
This represented an increase of approximately 18.2 percent.
The company also cited a World Bank estimate placing the annual economic cost of road crash fatalities and serious injuries in Ghana at US$4.55 billion.
These figures underline the urgent need for effective measures to reduce speeding, reckless driving and other dangerous road practices.
Automated enforcement technology has been adopted in several countries to improve compliance with traffic regulations and reduce road fatalities. Sweden, where Sensys Gatso is headquartered, has developed an internationally recognized road safety framework supported by road engineering, traffic management, enforcement technology and sustained public education.
However, the comparison has also raised questions about the suitability of introducing sophisticated automated enforcement systems in Ghana without adequately addressing basic road infrastructure deficiencies.
Unlike Sweden, where road safety interventions are supported by extensive infrastructure and coordinated traffic management, many Ghanaian roads continue to suffer from inadequate maintenance, poor visibility and defective traffic control systems.
The challenge is therefore not simply whether automated cameras can detect speeding motorists, but whether Ghana has provided the necessary infrastructure and safeguards to make enforcement fair, effective and credible.
The financial arrangements surrounding the programme remain central to the controversy.
The reported 40 percent allocation of traffic fine revenue to NTMEL has raised concerns about the commercialization of traffic enforcement and whether the arrangement creates incentives to maximize the number of citations issued.
For many motorists, the issue is not opposition to road safety enforcement.
Rather, it is whether the state can legitimately demand strict compliance with traffic regulations while failing to maintain the basic infrastructure required for safe driving.
The government must explain why automated fines are being introduced on roads where markings are missing, traffic lights are malfunctioning and streetlights remain out of service.
It must also clarify how motorists can challenge questionable citations, particularly where alleged offences arise from emergency manoeuvres, defective road infrastructure or threats to personal safety.
Equally important is the need to establish whether the private operator’s financial interest in traffic fines creates potential conflicts between commercial objectives and the public responsibility to promote road safety.
The Ministry of the Interior, Ghana Police Service, Ministry of Finance, and other participating institutions must provide comprehensive information about the contract, its financial terms, and the safeguards protecting motorists.
The government should also consider whether further public sensitization, independent technical assessments and improvements to road infrastructure are necessary before expanding the programme.
Ultimately, a credible road safety policy must be built on more than cameras, fines and revenue-sharing agreements.
It must include well-maintained roads, functioning traffic lights, visible speed-limit signs, reliable street lighting, effective policing, and transparent enforcement procedures.
Until these fundamental issues are adequately addressed, TraffiTech-GH risks being perceived by segments of the motoring public not as a genuine road safety intervention but as a revenue-collection scheme that imposes additional financial burdens on drivers while rewarding private commercial interests.
The central question confronting the Mahama administration is whether Ghana’s automated traffic enforcement programme is primarily designed to save lives or whether, under the 11-year arrangement inherited from the Akufo-Addo government, it risks becoming what its critics describe as state-sponsored extortion.
