The Street Sense Organisation, a local road safety non-government organisation (NGO), has donated 1,000 specialised reflective vests valued at $15,000 to the Ghana Police Service to enhance the visibility and safety of personnel managing traffic on the country’s roads.
The donation, targeted at the Motor Traffic and Transport Department (MTTD), is intended to support police officers working on the streets, particularly at night and in areas with poor visibility.
The initiative forms part of Street Sense’s continued support for the Ghana Police Service and was timed to coincide with preparations for the rollout of the Police’s Traffic Tech initiative, expected to commence on November 1, 2026.
Presenting the items, Mr Samson Oddoye, National Coordinator of Street Sense Organisation, said the organisation’s primary objective was to support efforts to improve road safety and promote responsible driving behaviour.
He said the Street Sense had over the years collaborated with the Police, National Road Safety Authority, Ministry of Transport, National Ambulance Service, Ghana Fire Service and other institutions to educate the public and contribute to road safety interventions.
“Our slogan is safety for life, and we believe that our little effort can bring sanity to our roads and ensure that we have sound driving behaviour,” he said.
Mr Oddoye said the latest batch of vests had been redesigned to provide better protection and visibility, taking into consideration Ghana’s weather and working conditions.
He said the organisation had previously donated similar vests but decided to improve the quality of the latest batch after observing that the earlier versions deteriorated quickly.
He explained that the new vests were made from fabric considered more suitable for the country’s heat and outdoor conditions.
Mr Oddoye said the donation was particularly important because some police officers managing traffic at night were difficult for motorists to see, creating risks of accidents and injuries.
He said the Street Sense would continue to work with the Police and other road safety institutions to support public education and interventions aimed at reducing road crashes.
Receiving the items, Mr Christian Tetteh Yohuno, the Inspector-General of Police (IGP), expressed appreciation to the Street Sense for supporting the Police Service with the reflective vests.
Mr Yohuno said more than 3,000 police personnel were deployed daily to manage traffic across the country, making visibility an important safety consideration in the performance of their duties.
The IGP said police personnel were exposed to significant risks while managing traffic, particularly at night and under harsh weather conditions, and that some officers had suffered injuries in the course of their duties.
He said the donation was therefore timely, particularly as the Police prepared to introduce the Traffic Tech programme.
Mr Yohuno explained that the Traffic Tech initiative, initially scheduled for October 1, had been moved to November 1 to allow for further public education and sensitisation on the new approach to traffic management.
He said the technology would enhance the ability of the Police to identify road traffic violations and ensure that motorists who breached traffic regulations could be held accountable.
The IGP urged motorists to exercise greater caution on the roads and pay attention to police officers managing traffic, pedestrians and other road users.
He also appealed to commercial drivers to avoid excessive speeding in an attempt to pick more passengers, stressing that the financial gains from such behaviour could not compensate for the consequences of road crashes.
Mr Yohuno said road crashes remained a major source of casualties in the country and called for collective efforts by motorists, pedestrians, the Police and the media to reduce road deaths and injuries.
He urged the media to intensify public education on safe driving and the need for motorists to cooperate with traffic management measures.
“We want our brothers and sisters in the media to communicate and send a message that let’s reduce the carnage on our roads. If we do that, our brothers, sisters and family members will be safe,” he said.
The IGP commended Street Sense for the donation and said the reflective vests would help make police officers more visible to motorists as they performed their duties on the roads.