Persons willing to operate a commercial motorcycle or tricycle, popularly known as ‘okada’, can only do so if they belong to a recognised tricycle transport union or employed by a licensed commercial motorcycle company.
The provision to prohibit operations without belonging to a recognised union and need for riders to be at least 25 years of age is part of the new Legislative Instrument (LI) being drafted to amend the existing one, Road Traffic Regulations, 2012 (Legislative Instrument 2180).
Speaking at a national stakeholder consultation in Accra on Monday , April 7, 2025, on a draft LI 2180, the Minister of Transport, Joseph Bukari Nikpe, said the government was introducing a new licensing regime to enhance monitoring of commercial motorcycles and tricycles and ensure that operators met the necessary competency standards.
“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 said at the meeting, which was the first of a nationwide consultation to review LI 2180 to pave way for the official operationalisation of okada, a thriving business among the youth.
The consultative meeting brought together representatives from the Motor Traffic and Transport Department (MTTD) of the Ghana Police Service, the Ghana Private Road Transport Union (GPRTU), the association of okada riders, heads of relevant agencies and departments, industry practitioners, civil society organisations and transport operators.
Proposed provisions
“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,” the new provisions propose.
Anybody who flouts the provision, when it becomes law, by operating “a motorcycle or tricycle for fare-paying passenger services in contravention of sub-regulation (1) commits an offence and is liable to pay a fine of 100 penalty units or to a term of imprisonment or both”.
Background
Motorcycles and tricycles have become a crucial part of our transport ecosystem over the past decade.
They are especially useful for last-mile journeys and in areas where traditional para-transit vehicles (tro-tro) and taxis find it challenging to go; they do the job.
In some of our urban centres, mostly in the northern part of the country, motorcycles and tricycles have literally replaced traditional public transport vehicles.
However, as their popularity had surged over the years, so had the challenges associated with their use, the Transport Minister said.
SOURCE: GRAPHICONLINE
