By Mavis Paintsil, Accra
GPRTU, Commercial Operators and Concerned Drivers Issue One-Week Ultimatum
Commercial drivers across the country have demanded the immediate removal of traders, market women and hawkers from all bus stops, lorry terminals, pedestrian walkways and road intersections before government rolls out its new automated traffic enforcement system, TRAFFITECH-GH.
The demand was made at a joint press conference by the GPRTU of TUC, the Commercial Transport Operators of Ghana and the Concerned Drivers Association of Ghana at Tema Station on Monday, October 13, 2026.
The leadership said bus stops and walkways in major commercial hubs including Kaneshie, CMB, Circle, Madina, Kasoa, Kejetia and Takoradi Market Circle have all been turned into markets, leaving no space for commercial vehicles to operate.
According to them, this takeover is a clear violation of L.I. 2519 (Road Traffic Regulations, 2012 as Amended 2026), Regulation 142, which states that no person shall trade, sell, display or offer for sale goods on the road, on shoulders of the road, at bus stops, lorry parks, pedestrian walkways and other places designated for vehicular and pedestrian use.
They listed the effects as heavy traffic congestion, frequent road accidents involving pedestrians and vehicles, obstruction of free movement of commercial vehicles and breeding of filth and indiscipline.
The drivers said they have taken note of government’s plan to introduce TRAFFITECH-GH to automatically fine drivers who make wrongful stops and pick passengers at unauthorised places, but insisted the system cannot work in the current disorder.
“How can you punish a driver for not stopping at a designated bus stop when that bus stop has been occupied by market women and traders? How can a driver be fined for obstruction when traders have left him no space to operate?” they asked.
“This system will fail and will be grossly unfair to drivers if the roads are not cleared first. You cannot digitalize illegality. Clear the roads first, then enforce the camera system,” the groups stated.
They have therefore given a one-week ultimatum to the Ministry of Local Government, Decentralisation and Rural Development to instruct all Metropolitan, Municipal and District Assemblies to clear walkways and bus stops, and to the Ministry of Trade and Industry and the Ministry of Interior to provide alternative trading spaces and enforce law and order.
Failure to act, they warned, will leave drivers with no option but to defend their operational spaces themselves.
“If they fail to act, we the drivers will have no other option than to defend our operational spaces ourselves and we will not be held responsible for any confrontation that may arise from our legitimate actions.”
“We are law-abiding citizens contributing heavily to the Resetting Ghana Agenda. We should not be frustrated. Enough is enough,” they stressed.
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