Bring MTTD back to N1, Madina and Winneba to stop deadly crashes – Road Safety Authority

The National Road Safety Authority (NRSA) has called on the Ghana Police Service to redeploy Motor Traffic and Transport Department (MTTD) personnel to accident-prone corridors such as the N1 Highway, Madina intersection, and Winneba Road to help curb rising road traffic deaths.

Speaking on Joy FM’s Super Morning Show on Wednesday, July 16, 2025, the Director-General of the NRSA, Mr Abraham Amaliba, said the absence of uniformed officers from high-risk roads has created space for reckless driving and lawlessness by motorists and motorcycle riders.

Mr Amaliba said he had written formally to the National Security Council a year ago to request MTTD deployment to some of the country’s most dangerous routes, citing what he described as “numerous accidents all over the country.”

“These riders just speed the way they want, including vehicles,” he said. “But when they know that there are policemen on the road, particularly in areas we call black spots, they’ll be more careful.”

He named the N1 Highway, the Madina-Oponglo intersection, and the Winneba stretch as areas in urgent need of police presence to reduce speeding, signal violations, and crashes.

According to Mr Amaliba, the current situation is believed to be a result of changes under the current Inspector-General of Police, which has allowed dangerous driving behaviours to become more common, especially in urban centres.

He also disclosed that the NRSA, in collaboration with the Driver and Vehicle Licensing Authority (DVLA) and the Ghana Standards Authority, is working to introduce speed limiters on commercial vehicles as part of broader road safety efforts.

Mr Amaliba added that talks are ongoing with the Inspector-General of Police to press home the request. “The meeting with the IGP is yet to happen. But I’m pushing to ensure we get action,” he told host Winston Amoah.

Ghana recorded 750 motorcycle-related deaths in the first quarter of 2025 alone, a figure the NRSA says represents a public health emergency.