Director of Education, Research and Training at the Police Motor Traffic and Transport Department (MTTD), ACP Alexander Kwaku Obeng, has clarified that the introduction of the technology-driven traffic enforcement system, TraffiTech-GH, will not eliminate the physical presence of police officers on Ghana’s roads.
He said police officers would continue to manage traffic, respond to road crashes and handle situations requiring direct human intervention, with digital technology serving as a complement to conventional policing.
Speaking on the Joy FM Super Morning Show on Wednesday, August 26, ACP Obeng said the deployment of cameras and other digital tools was intended to strengthen, rather than replace, police operations.
“It doesn’t necessarily mean that police physical presence will not be there,” he said.
Police visibility to remain
ACP Obeng explained that police visibility would remain essential in situations that cannot be effectively addressed through automated systems.
“Visibility will be there, first of all, even in the case that there are certain instances that we need police to be controlling the traffic,” he said.
He said officers would also be required to respond swiftly to road crashes, manage traffic around accident scenes and ensure that injured persons receive the necessary assistance.
“Even in the case that when accidents occur, police officers have to be quickly deployed to ensure that roads will be managed,” he said.
“Persons who are injured are being attended to. Those who have suffered brutality are being referred, among others,” he added.
According to ACP Obeng, some provisions under Ghana’s road traffic laws will also continue to require direct police intervention.
He said officers would remain available to assist members of the public and respond to instances where roads are deliberately obstructed or improperly used.
“Is it not the case that people may obstruct the road and do all manner of things? So, policing will be sustained,” he said.
Technology to reduce roadside stops
ACP Obeng, however, noted that digital enforcement would reduce the need for officers to physically stop motorists for certain offences.
He explained that cameras and other digital tools would enable the police to gather evidence of violations and engage vehicle owners or drivers without necessarily stopping them on the road.
“But issues regarding gathering evidence that normally will require arrest, impound, let’s go to a police station, and the convenience and all that, it is easy for us now to use digital tools, simple technologies, and software applications that will run on it for us to interface with the person who owns or who is driving without necessarily stopping or taking them to the police station,” he said.
He said the system was being introduced as part of a broader strategy to create a safer and more resilient road environment.
“We are bringing it alongside, in the hope that in the future, we will have a more resilient road environment where digital tools will assist police,” he said.
ACP Obeng added that automated enforcement could encourage motorists to become more conscious of their conduct, particularly when they know that violations can be detected even in the absence of a police officer.
Focus on reducing crashes and fatalities
He said the ultimate objective was to prevent avoidable traffic offences and reduce the crashes, deaths and injuries associated with them.
“I think police are there, day and night. So that people will be safe from committing certain preventable infractions that are exposing many of our compatriots and citizens to danger that are leading to preventable crashes, associated deaths, and injuries,” he said.
ACP Obeng said Parliament had permitted about 49 offences to be dealt with under the relevant framework, while additional motor-related infractions bring the number to about 79 under Regulation 174.
“So I’m not surprised Parliament permitted about 49. And if you add the motor infractions, about 79 under Regulation 174,” he said.
He said the expanded enforcement framework would help protect motorists and other road users, including users of two-, three- and four-wheeled vehicles.
“So that we’ll be able to protect many of our citizens who are permitted to come onto the road space to drive either two-wheelers, three-wheelers, four-wheelers, and many of the vehicles that are running on multiple axles,” he said.
“So that as the roads are being opened up, drivers will be conscious that they are driving for life,” he added.
How TraffiTech-GH works
TraffiTech-GH is an automated traffic enforcement system developed by the Ghana Police Service to monitor road use and improve road safety.
The system uses fixed intersection cameras, mobile vehicle-mounted cameras, handheld and tripod devices and other digital monitoring tools to capture traffic violations.
The introduction of the system is expected to strengthen enforcement while allowing police officers to focus their physical presence on traffic management, emergencies, road crashes and other situations requiring direct intervention.
