RIGHT-HAND TRAFFIC ACT - 1973 (NRCD 212)

    • (1) As from the prescribed date-

      (a) every motor vehicle shall in approaching and passing traffic coming from the opposite direction be driven on the right side of the highway;

      (b) in respect of any highway which is open to movement of traffic in both directions, every motor vehicle when overtaking traffic proceeding in the same direction shall pass such traffic on the left side,

      and the provisions of any enactment relating to road traffic shall be construed subject to this Decree.

      (2) In this Decree "the prescribed date" means the 4th day of August, 1974 or such other date as the Commissioner may prescribe by Legislative Instrument.

    • (1) To give effect to the provisions of section 1 of this Decree, there is hereby established a body to be known as the National Right-Hand Traffic Committee (in this Decree referred to as "The National Committee").

      (2) The National Committee shall consist of the following members, namely:-

      (a) The Commander, Ghana Army;

      (b) The Commander, 1 Infantry Brigade Group;

      (c) The Commander, 2 Infantry Brigade Group;

      (d) One representative, Ghana Air Force;

      (e) One representative, Ghana Navy;

      (f) One representative , Border Guards;

      (g) One representative, Ghana Police;

      (h) Such other members of the Armed Forces that the Commander Ghana Army may detail.

      (3) The Chairman of the National Committee shall be the Army Commander.

      (4) There shall be two vice-chairmen who shall be the Commander, One Infantry Brigade Group for the Southern Sector, and the Commander, Two Infantry Brigade Group for the Northern sector.

    • The following may be co-opted as members of the National Committee-

      (a) The Director, Building and Road Research Institute, University of Science and Technology, Kumasi;

      (b) The Managing Director, State Transport Corporation;

      (c) One representative of the Public Works Department;

      (d) One representative of the Department of Social Welfare;

      (e) One representative of the Ministry of Finance;

      (f) One representative of the Information Services Department;

      (g) One representative of the Ministry of Internal Affairs;

      (h) One representative of the Automobile Association of Ghana;

      (i) One representative of the Ghana Private Road Transport Workers Union;

      (j) One representative of the Omnibus Services Authority;

      (k) One representative of the Ghana Chamber of Commerce;

      (l) One representative of the Ministry of Transport and Communications;

      (m) One representative of the Ministry of Education;

      (n) One representative of the Department of Economics, University of Ghana, Legon;

      (o) The Regional Administrative Officer of each Region, including Greater Accra; and

      (p) such other members, being not more than five who in the opinion of the Commissioner, have the requisite knowledge and experience in motor traffic matters.

    • The functions of the National Committee shall be:-

      (a) To co-ordinate all administrative arrangements to ensure a smooth change-over to right-hand traffic;

      (b) To examine all highways and cause to be made on them such structural alterations as the Committee thinks necessary to make the highways suitable for right-hand traffic;

      (c) To erect road signs appropriate for right-hand traffic and remove, or make suitable modifications to, existing road signs;

      (d) To advise on the conversion of motor vehicles and on other technical and safety aspects of the change-over to right-hand traffic;

      (e) to inform and educate the public in all matters concerning the change-over to right-hand traffic; and

      (f) to perform such other functions relating to the change-over as the Commissioner may determine.

    • (1) There is hereby established for each Region, including Greater Accra, a body to be known as the Regional Committee on Right-Hand Traffic.

      (2) The Committee shall consist of a Chairman who shall be the Regional Military Commander and the following members:-

      (a) Regional Administrative Officer,

      (b) Representative, Public Works Department,

      (c) Representative, State Transport Corporation,

      (d) Representative, Department of Social Welfare,

      (e) Representative, Omnibus Services Authority,

      (f) Representative, Information Services Department,

      (g) Representative, Ministry of Education,

      (h) Five other members appointed by the Chairman of the Regional Committee.

      (3) The functions of the Regional Committees will be as directed by the National Committee for the purpose of carrying out the change-over.

      (4) There shall be established District Committees on Right-Hand Traffic and each such Committee shall consist of a Chairman appointed by the Regional Military Commander and the following members:-

      (a) District Administrative Officer,

      (b) Social Welfare Department Representative,

      (c) Public Works Department Representative,

      (d) Information Services Representative,

      (e) Ministry of Education Representative,

      (f) and five others.

      (5) The functions of the District Committees shall be as directed by the Regional Committees for the purposes of carrying out the change-over.

    • (1) The National Committee may with the approval of the Commissioner arrange for the recruitment and training of persons to be known as traffic wardens who may, subject to subsection (2), be deployed to assist in the control and direction of traffic during a period of not more than six months after the prescribed date.

      (2) Traffic wardens recruited under this section shall have such powers and perform such functions as the National Committee may determine.

    • No member of any Committee shall be personally liable for any act or omission done or made in good faith while engaged on the business of the Committee in respect of the change-over to right-hand traffic.

    • The Commissioner may, by legislative instrument, make regulations:-

      (a) prohibiting or restricting the driving of motor vehicles or any class of motor vehicles on the highway or on any specified highway or part of a highway at specified periods on the prescribed date;

      (b) requiring any class of motor vehicles designed for left-hand traffic to be modified structurally;

      (c) requiring motor vehicles designed for left-hand traffic to be provided with such signals, signs or other devices as may be prescribed;

      (d) requiring the provisions of reflective safety markings on any class of motor vehicles;

      (e) regulating the speed at which motor vehicles may be driven within a period of six months after the prescribed date;

      (f) otherwise for carrying out the principles and purposes of this Decree.

    • In this Decree:-

      "Commissioner" means the Commissioner responsible for Transport;

      "Highway" includes any roadway to which the public have access;

      "motor vehicle" means a mechanically propelled vehicle intended or adapted for use on roads;

      "prescribed date" has the meaning assigned thereto by section 1 (2) of this Decree;

      "Person" includes natural or artificial persons.

    • (1) This Decree shall be deemed to have come into force on the 30th day of December, 1971.

      (2) For the avoidance of doubt, it is hereby declared that anything done or purported to have been done by the National Committee (whether or not composed in accordance with section 2 of this Decree) on or after the day aforesaid shall be deemed to have been validly done.