Only those who work for a licensed commercial motorcycle company or are members of a recognized tricycle transport union are permitted to operate a commercial motorbike or tricycle, also known as an “okada.”
The new Legislative Instrument (LI) being written to amend the current one, the Road Traffic Regulations, 2012 (Legislative Instrument 2180), includes provisions to forbid operations without membership in a recognized union and to require riders to be at least 25 years old.
The Minister of Transport, Joseph Bukari Nikpe, stated that the government was implementing a new licensing system to improve the surveillance of commercial motorcycles and tricycles and guarantee that operators fulfilled the required competency standards during a national stakeholder consultation on a draft LI 2180 in Accra on Monday [April 7, 2025].
“Our utmost priority is the safety and welfare of the riders and passengers. Therefore, some provisions in the regulations will cover the mandatory use of helmets, periodic inspections, and rider training,” Mr. Nikpe stated during the first of a planned nationwide consultation to examine LI 2180 in order to prepare the way for the official operationalization of Okada, a popular youth-run enterprise.
Representatives from the Ghana Police Service’s Motor Traffic and Transport Department (MTTD), the Ghana Private Road Transport Union (GPRTU), the association of okada riders, heads of pertinent departments and agencies, business professionals, civil society organizations, and transportation operators attended the consultative meeting.
The proposed new laws state that “A person shall not ride or operate a commercial motorcycle or tricycle unless that person is employed by or belongs to a licensed commercial motorcycle or tricycle transport union.”
By operating “a motorcycle or tricycle for fare-paying passenger services in contravention of sub-regulation (1),” anybody who violates the provision when it becomes law is guilty of an offense and faces a fine of 100 penalty units, a term of imprisonment, or both.
Over the past ten years, tricycles and motorcycles have grown to be an essential component of our transportation system.
They are particularly helpful on last-mile trips and in places that are difficult for taxis and other regular paratransit vehicles (tro-tro) to reach.
Tricycles and motorbikes have essentially supplanted conventional public transportation vehicles in several of our urban centers, primarily in the northern portion of the nation.
But the Transport Minister noted that as their popularity grew over time, so did the difficulties in using them.
“We have witnessed increasing road traffic crashes and fatalities involving motorcycles and tricycles. There are also concerns over safety regulations, disregard of road traffic laws, and the pressing need for a structured approach to governance in this sector,” Mr. Nikpe reiterated.
The Head of Road Transport Services at the Ministry of Transport, Daniel Essel, who presented the draft regulatory framework, said the operator (person or entity) must have a physical presence in at least eight administrative regions and have a minimum fleet size of 50 in each of the regions or as may be determined by the regulatory authority in consultation with the Minister of Transport (the Minister).
The operators must also have a standard union dress code as approved by the regulatory authority and meet other conditions as the regulatory authority may prescribe in collaboration with the DVLA and the district assembly.
While the riders are required to obtain a licence and renew it every two years, a commercial motorcycle or tricycle union shall renew its licence annually by paying a prescribed fee and satisfying the conditions determined by the regulatory authority.
President John Dramani Mahama has promised during the 2016 campaign to enact strong laws governing the commercial usage of tricycles and motorbikes in order to increase rider welfare, job stability, and safety.
Officers from the Office of the Attorney General and Ministry of Justice, the Ministry of Youth Development and Empowerment, the Ministry of Local Government, Chieftaincy and Religious Affairs, the Driver and Vehicle Licensing Authority (DVLA), and the National Road Safety Authority comprised the 13-member committee that the Minister of Transport established last month. The committee was chaired by the Ministry of Transport.
The committee created a draft regulatory framework after a number of meetings, and stakeholders were shown it yesterday.
According to Mr. Nikpe, the purpose of the stakeholder consultation was to gather information from the ground up in order to inform the produced regulations.
He exhorted the attendees to have an objective conversation about the problems and suggest workable solutions that may be adopted and then put into action.
“Through this dialogue, we hope to develop a comprehensive and robust regulatory framework that will stand the test of time for the consideration of Parliament,” he stated.
According to the draft regulatory framework, an individual who is incorporated under the Companies Act, 2019 (Act 992) as a limited liability company, partnership, union, society, cooperative, or other comparable association is eligible to operate a commercial motorbike or tricycle.
Additionally, the unions would be required to adhere to the Minister’s approved code of conduct.
At least once a year, a commercial motorcycle/tricycle union is required to arrange refresher or retraining courses for its members in coordination with the regulatory body.
As directed by the regulating body, all authorized union members must register on an electronic database.
According to the regulation, a district assembly may also authorize a commercial motorcycle or tricycle union to operate in the area if the assembly determines the requirements and pays the required fee after consulting with the regulating body.
The district assembly must identify or approve locations in the neighborhood as terminals and stands with that permit.
According to Mr. Essel, a commercial motorcycle or tricycle union must look into any instances of Code of Conduct violations right away and maintain a record of them on file because they will result in fines.
Additionally, the applicants must be at least 25 years old, have a valid National Identification Card, and hold a current commercial rider’s license issued by the DVLA.
They also need to pass an eye test, a theoretical test, an oral test, and a riding competency test for commercial motorcycles and tricycles.
Following training on the motorcyclists’ manual and curriculum, they will be given a unique yellow license plate with black letters as their identity mark.
Among other things, they must follow all traffic regulations and speed limits, wear a certified protective helmet with a unique number attached to the back, and always have a certified protective helmet ready for the pillion rider to use.
Source: newsthemegh.com