Seven days into live TraffiTech-GH enforcement, the MTTD is resolving trade-plate and DVLA ownership disputes as scrutiny mounts over the 60/40 fine split.

Published 7 Nov 2026, 14:36 GMT

4 min read

TraffiTech-GH Goes Live: How Ghana’s Speed Cameras and SMS Fines Work

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Police say they are working through a first week of TraffiTech-GH complaints about rented trade plates, cars that were sold but never re-registered, and errors in the records the cameras rely on.

ACP Alexander Kwaku Obeng, Director of Education, Research and Training at the Motor Traffic and Transport Department (MTTD), told JoyNews' Newsfile on Saturday, November 7, that every dispute is being looked at since live camera enforcement began on November 1.

Why trade-plate dealers and previous car owners receive tickets

Under the Road Traffic Regulations, 2026 (L.I. 2519), camera-detected Electronic Notices of Violation (ENVs) are sent by SMS from GPS-MTTD to the vehicle owner listed in Driver and Vehicle Licensing Authority (DVLA) records.

Obeng identified the misuse of DVLA trade licence plates as a major source of complaints. Although registered dealers may legally acquire trade plates and rent them out for a fee, any speeding or red-light ticket recorded on the plate goes to the registered dealer rather than the renter.

A second wave of complaints involves motorists fined for cars they have already sold. Under the police’s official TraffiTech-GH guidance, a seller remains legally liable for violations and late penalties until the buyer’s name and phone number are updated in the DVLA register.

Obeng said the MTTD is also fixing database discrepancies. He assured drivers that the cameras are homologated, verified by the government’s engineer and calibrated by the Ghana Standards Authority.

Motorists can check outstanding vehicle fines via *220#, view video evidence online or contest tickets within 14 days.

How the 60/40 revenue split works

According to the Ministry of Finance’s 2024 Annual Report on Public-Private Partnership Projects and its PPP project registry, the Interior Ministry signed an 11-year concession on December 23, 2022 with Nationwide Traffic Management and Enforcement Limited (NTMEL).

NTMEL financed, built and operates the GH¢77.73 million infrastructure under an anticipated split allocating 60 per cent of collected fines to the government and 40 per cent to the private partner until December 2033.

Swedish firm Sensys Gatso Group supplies the cameras and software — having worked with local promoter Franco Osei before the deal — and disclosed a 40 per cent equity and profit share in NTMEL. On a GH¢120 speeding fine, GH¢72 goes to the state and GH¢48 goes to NTMEL.

Why critics question the fine split and late penalties

IMANI Africa Honorary Vice President Bright Simons said on Newsfile that while public-private partnerships are backed by law, tying NTMEL’s earnings to traffic fines creates a commercial incentive to maximise penalties rather than prioritise fair enforcement.

“Our concern is whether or not the revenue should come from fines, and what that incentive to get more revenue from fines means for the fairness of implementation,” Simons said.

Simons warned that deploying mobile cameras in unmarked vehicles and speed guns could invite abuse. He also questioned the legal basis for charging a 1 per cent daily default surcharge after 14 days or blocking DVLA licence and roadworthiness renewals, noting that current enforcement covers speeding out of 40 to 47 listed offences.

Kumasi lawyer Albert Gyamfi argued that fining registered owners rather than the driver at the wheel is unlawful, while University of Ghana senior lecturer Dr Joshua Jebuntie Zaato warned on Channel One TV that private profit motives could clash with road safety.

Former Ghana Cocoa Board (COCOBOD) public affairs head Fiifi Boafo questioned why the state takes 60 per cent of fine proceeds when private investors funded the cameras.

“What is the 60% going to government for? Is it to raise money for government?” Boafo asked, arguing that fine revenue should only fund system maintenance.

Why road safety officials say speed enforcement is urgent

National Road Safety Authority (NRSA) Director of Regulations, Inspections and Compliance Kwame Kodua Attuahene said speeding and inattentive driving account for 58 to 59 per cent of road fatalities in Ghana, led by the Greater Accra, Ashanti, Western and Central regions.

Attuahene said operational data will be used to refine the rollout, following the NRSA’s decision to restrict initial camera enforcement to roads with visible speed-limit signs while road agencies fix missing signs and faulty traffic lights.

Araba IncoomAraba Incoom writes on multiple topics with a vast knowledge across different sector. You can almost call me an AI, after all, my initials are Araba Incoom.

TraffiTech-GH: Police explain trade plates and ownership data as critics question fines split

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