GH¢120 or GH¢2,400? Why Ghana’s New Traffic Penalties Are Being Confused

Is a traffic offence GH¢120, GH¢600 or even GH¢2,400? All three figures appear in discussions ahead of TRAFFITECH-GH’s full rollout on 1 October 2026. They refer to different provisions and should not be presented as one universal camera fine.

The Ghana Police Service says cameras and handheld devices will detect alleged offences. Police personnel will review the record before an Electronic Notice of Violation is sent by SMS to a vehicle owner or driver, stating the offence and prescribed fine. A government rollout notice confirms the 1 October start.

Where GH¢120 comes from

Regulation 242 of the Road Traffic Regulations, 2026 (L.I. 2519), provides a graduated schedule for qualifying offences detected by Traffic Enforcement Devices. The breakdown by a Police Legal and Prosecution Unit officer gives 10 penalty units for each of the first three offences, 15 units for a fourth and 20 for a fifth. At GH¢12 per penalty unit, those figures are GH¢120, GH¢180 and GH¢240. The Ghana Revenue Authority also states the GH¢12 value of a penalty unit.

A sixth offence within 24 months can move the matter to court, where a licence suspension or revocation of at least 12 months, with retraining and retesting, is a possible outcome. Our separate explainer looks at that escalation.

Where the higher figures come from

The wider regulations prescribe penalties for many specific offences. For example, the Police officer’s breakdown lists up to 50 penalty units (GH¢600) for using a mobile phone while driving, and 50 to 200 units (GH¢600–GH¢2,400) for driving under the influence of alcohol or drugs. Those are statutory offence ranges. Potential imprisonment stated alongside them is a matter for a court; it is not an automatic result of an SMS notice.

The camera schedule is restricted to offences covered by its automated-enforcement provisions. A long list of road offences—including conduct involving pedestrians, passengers, roadside sellers and public transport—does not mean that a camera can detect or automatically fine every one of them.

Read the alleged offence on any notice, not just a circulating price list. Check the ticket and evidence through the official Police process. If the details are wrong, use the available contest route; do not pay an unfamiliar link sent in a message. For motorists who lend out a vehicle, here is what the registered-owner rule means.