By: Ebenezer Adugyamfi & Emmanuel Ayiku for GhanaianNewsCanada
November 5, 2026
Ghana’s automated traffic enforcement programme, TraffiTech-GH, is drawing renewed public attention following revelations about an 11-year agreement under which a private company is entitled to 40 per cent of traffic fines collected, while the government retains the remaining 60 per cent.
The arrangement was signed in December 2022 under the administration of former President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo. However, it is the government of President John Dramani Mahama that is now overseeing its implementation, with the system beginning live operations on November 1, 2026.
The agreement involves Nationwide Traffic Management and Enforcement Limited (NTMEL), the private company responsible for providing and operating the technology supporting the national road safety programme.
The revenue-sharing arrangement means that for every GH¢100 collected in traffic fines, GH¢60 is allocated to the government and GH¢40 to the private operator.
The terms have prompted questions about the commercial interests involved in traffic enforcement, the financial benefits to the state and whether the system will deliver measurable improvements in road safety.
How the 11-year agreement works
The contract, signed in December 2022, is expected to run until December 2033.
According to information contained in Ghana’s 2024 Public-Private Partnership (PPP) Report, the project has an estimated investment value of GH¢77.73 million.
The programme is designed to use automated traffic enforcement technology, including speed cameras, red-light monitoring equipment, sensors and other digital systems, to identify motorists who violate road traffic regulations.
Under the arrangement, the private operator provides the technological infrastructure and supports the operation and maintenance of the system, while the Ghana Police Service retains responsibility for traffic law enforcement.
The project is intended to improve compliance with traffic regulations, discourage dangerous driving and contribute to reducing road crashes.
The Ministry of Finance identifies the automation of traffic law enforcement in Ghana as one of the public-private partnership projects under implementation.
Who owns the private company?
NTMEL is jointly owned by Ghanaian businessman Frank Osei, who holds a 60 per cent stake, and Sensys Gatso International B.V., which owns the remaining 40 per cent.
Sensys Gatso International B.V. is associated with Sweden-based Sensys Gatso Group, an international company specialising in traffic safety technology and automated enforcement systems.
The ownership structure is separate from the revenue-sharing arrangement between the government and the private operator.
In other words, the fact that Sensys Gatso holds 40 per cent of NTMEL does not mean it directly receives 40 per cent of every traffic fine. The reported 40:60 division concerns the allocation between the government and NTMEL, while the company’s ownership structure determines how its own profits may be shared among its shareholders.
In a statement issued on September 10, 2026, Sensys Gatso Group disclosed that its Ghanaian joint venture was expected to generate approximately 600 million Swedish kronor in total revenue over the remaining contract period.
The company also indicated that its 40 per cent interest in the joint venture would entitle it to a corresponding share of profits.
That projected revenue should not be confused with guaranteed profit or an assured payment. The company’s eventual returns will depend on operating costs, investments, performance and the financial terms governing the joint venture.
Why the Mahama administration is implementing the deal
Although the agreement was signed under the previous administration, the Mahama government has proceeded with its implementation.
TraffiTech-GH began live enforcement on November 1, 2026, following preparations and public education around the system.
The rollout has placed the government in the position of implementing a major contractual arrangement inherited from its predecessor.
It has also revived debate over the extent to which successive administrations should be held accountable for agreements signed by previous governments, particularly when those arrangements have long-term financial implications.
For the Mahama administration, the immediate challenge is to demonstrate that the programme can improve road safety while ensuring that motorists are treated fairly and that public revenue is properly accounted for.
How motorists will be monitored and notified
The system uses automated technology to capture suspected traffic violations.
Information and images generated by the equipment are transmitted to a back-office system for review. The Ghana Police Service, through its Motor Traffic and Transport Department (MTTD), is responsible for the enforcement process and the issuance of Electronic Notices of Violation.
Motorists who receive a notice have 14 days to pay or challenge it, according to the published programme guidance.
The police have also warned motorists about fraudulent messages circulating in the name of TraffiTech-GH. Genuine notifications are expected to originate from the sender identification GPS-MTTD, and motorists have been advised to use approved government payment channels rather than suspicious links or personal mobile money accounts.
The debate over private-sector involvement in traffic enforcement
The 40 per cent allocation to NTMEL has become one of the most closely scrutinised aspects of the agreement.
Supporters of public-private partnerships generally argue that private investment can provide government with access to technology, expertise and financing that may otherwise be difficult to mobilise through public resources alone.
The Ministry of Finance explains that PPP arrangements allow private-sector partners to finance or support public infrastructure and services in return for agreed payments or other revenue arrangements over a defined period.
However, the financial structure of TraffiTech-GH raises questions that the government and the private operator will need to address publicly.
These include how the revenue-sharing arrangement is calculated, what operational costs are covered by the private company, how the performance of the system will be assessed and what safeguards exist to prevent commercial incentives from undermining the programme’s road safety objectives.
There are also broader concerns about the condition of roads, the visibility of speed-limit signs, functioning traffic lights and road markings. Effective enforcement requires motorists to have clear information about the rules and the conditions under which they are expected to drive.
The ability to challenge disputed notices will therefore be important to public confidence in the system.
Road safety remains the central test
Despite the debate surrounding the contract, Ghana continues to face serious road safety challenges.
Sensys Gatso cited figures showing that road crashes claimed 2,949 lives in Ghana in 2025, compared with 2,494 in 2024.
The figures highlight the need for measures capable of addressing speeding, reckless driving and other dangerous road behaviour.
Automated enforcement could contribute to that effort, but its success will ultimately depend on more than the number of cameras installed or fines collected.
The government will need to demonstrate that the programme improves compliance, reduces crashes and operates transparently. It must also ensure that motorists have access to reliable information and fair procedures when contesting alleged violations.
With the agreement expected to remain in force until December 2033, the financial and operational consequences will extend beyond the current administration.
For now, the central question is whether the inherited 11-year arrangement can deliver its stated public safety objectives while maintaining public confidence in how traffic enforcement revenue is shared and managed.
