An Advocacy group Action for Justice has waded into the ongoing national debate on road safety, lending its support to government’s renewed crackdown on speeding — but with a condition: drivers must be warned before cameras catch them.
In a statement released by the group’s Convener for Justice, Bright Boadi, the organization said it fully backs the use of technology to curb road accidents and save lives. However, it expressed concern over reports that some speed cameras have been placed on certain roads without any advance notice to motorists.
According to the group, concealing speed cameras defeats the very purpose of the technology.
“The purpose of a speed camera should be to prevent over-speeding, not to trap drivers,” the statement said. “You cannot hide a camera and at the same time expect a driver to know that a particular stretch of road is under camera surveillance.”
Group Demands Signboards Before Every Camera Zone
Action for Justice is therefore calling on the government, through the Motor Traffic and Transport Department (MTTD) of the Ghana Police Service, to ensure that all speed cameras are clearly visible and that large warning signboards are mounted well ahead of every camera zone.
Such signboards, the group argued, would alert drivers that they are approaching a monitored stretch of road, prompting them to slow down — which, it noted, is the ultimate goal of road safety.
The organisation pointed to international best practice, noting that in developed countries, authorities erect prominent signage in advance wherever speed limits are enforced by cameras. “The signboard itself helps the driver to slow down, which is the goal of road safety,” the statement added.
‘Let the Signboards Speak Before the Camera Flashes’
The group maintained that if the true objective of the policy is to save lives rather than generate revenue through fines, then government must adopt the globally accepted standard.
“If our aim is truly to save lives and not just to arrest and fine drivers, then let us adopt the best practice. Let the cameras be visible. Let the signboards speak before the camera flashes,” Boadi stated.
Action for Justice has petitioned the Ministry of Roads and Highways, the Ghana Police Service (MTTD), and the National Road Safety Authority to act swiftly on the matter, in the interest of fairness, transparency, and road safety for all road users.