Masterminds of controversial TraffiTech-GH deal unmasked

...One man’s fingerprints on NPA’s fuel marking, tax stamp, and traffic fines

Investigations by The Herald into the controversial TraffiTech-GH automated traffic enforcement programme, have brought into focus Ghanaian businessman Frank Kwame Osei, Chairman of Nationwide Group Ghana, whose business interests span petroleum product marking, tax stamps, revenue assurance, and traffic enforcement technology.

The investigations have established the dual political connections behind the 11-year agreement, which was signed under former President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo’s administration and has since received the endorsement of President John Dramani Mahama, despite growing public opposition.

At the centre of the controversy is Mr Osei, whose company reportedly controls a majority stake in the private entity implementing TraffiTech-GH.

Sources familiar with his business activities describe him as a man who has cultivated relationships with influential political figures across Ghana’s two dominant political parties, the National Democratic Congress (NDC) and the New Patriotic Party (NPP). Some have pointed to the opposition party’s silence as a sign of an elite consensus on the deal.

Of particular interest is his reported relationship with the Minister for Finance, Dr Cassiel Ato Forson, which sources claim dates back to the first Mahama administration, when Dr Forson served as Deputy Minister for Finance under Seth Terkper.

The Herald has been told that Mr Osei’s business interests have attracted considerable attention within the Ministry of Finance in recent years, where proposals and correspondence involving his companies are said to have been part of discussions about government contracts, including a proposal to have him apply tax stamps to vegetable cooking oil through a sole-sourced arrangement.

However, the precise nature of Dr Forson’s involvement in implementing TraffiTech-GH, beyond the government’s decision to proceed with the programme, remains unclear. Some sources have suggested that revenue mobilization was a major consideration behind the decision to operationalize the system.

Nevertheless, the circumstances surrounding the agreement, its implementation across two administrations, and the financial benefits reportedly accruing to its private operators have generated demands for greater transparency.

Information available to The Herald indicates that the TraffiTech-GH agreement was signed in December 2022, during the Akufo-Addo administration, for an 11-year period expected to run until December 2033.

The arrangement was reportedly facilitated during the tenure of former Minister for Transport, Kwaku Ofori Asiamah, through connections involving Mr Osei. The programme is being implemented by Nationwide Traffic Management and Enforcement Limited (NTMEL), a profit-making Ghanaian-Swedish company established to provide automated traffic enforcement services in Ghana.

According to the Ministry of Finance’s 2024 Public-Private Partnership Report, published during Mohammed Amin Adam’s tenure as Finance Minister, the project involves an estimated investment of GH¢77.73 million.

The agreement provides for the deployment and operation of speed-detection cameras, red-light monitoring equipment, software, and associated systems for processing traffic violations.

NTMEL is owned by Mr Osei, who holds a controlling 60 percent stake, and Sensys Gatso International B.V., which holds the remaining 40 percent. The foreign partner is associated with Sweden’s Sensys Gatso Group, an international traffic safety technology company listed on Nasdaq Stockholm.

The Swedish company’s involvement has given the project an international dimension, with Sensys Gatso issuing public statements confirming its implementation and operational commencement. However, questions remain about the private partners’ actual financial and infrastructure contributions, particularly amid revelations that existing publicly financed national security surveillance facilities had been incorporated into the programme.

One of the most contentious aspects of TraffiTech-GH is the reported arrangement under which NTMEL receives 40 per cent of traffic fines collected from motorists.

Critics argue that such an arrangement risks transforming traffic law enforcement into a revenue-generating enterprise for private investors rather than an intervention primarily intended to improve public safety.

The company’s reported ownership structure has also prompted questions about how proceeds from traffic fines are ultimately distributed between its Ghanaian and Swedish shareholders.

40 percent of the fines go to NTMEL if strictly distributed according to shareholding. This means Mr Osei’s 60 percent interest would represent an indirect economic interest equivalent to 24 percent of total fines, while his Swedish partner’s 40 percent stake would represent 16 percent. People have persistently sought to know what NTMEL contributed to the deal.

Critics have questioned why a private company should receive such a substantial share of traffic fines when the Ghana Police Service and other public institutions retain responsibility for enforcing road traffic laws. They maintain that traffic penalties should primarily deter dangerous driving rather than become a lucrative source of income for private businesses.

The reported revenue-sharing arrangement has also raised concerns about whether financially rewarding operators based on the value or volume of fines collected could create incentives that are inconsistent with the objective of preventing traffic violations.

The Herald established that Mr Osei is no stranger to government business. His company, Nationwide Technologies Limited (NTL), has previously been associated with petroleum product marking services undertaken for the National Petroleum Authority (NPA).

The fuel-marking programme is designed to help authorities detect adulterated or diverted petroleum products and combat revenue losses arising from illegal activities within the downstream petroleum sector.

Nationwide Technologies has been involved in providing these services across the petroleum distribution chain, an arrangement that has required substantial financial commitments totalling millions of dollars over the years.

The cost and effectiveness of fuel marking have periodically attracted public scrutiny, particularly because of their implications for petroleum pricing and consumer expenditure. His bills are paid by consumers at the pump when they buy petrol.

Mr Osei’s professional profile on LinkedIn also advertises services including authentication of petroleum products, provision of tax stamps for government revenue recovery, environmental audits for oil marketing companies, and electronic enforcement solutions for police institutions.

These activities place his business interests at the intersection of revenue collection, regulatory enforcement, and public-sector technology contracts.

Sources familiar with the Nationwide business network say its dealings with government institutions date back to the administration of the late President John Evans Atta Mills.

They maintain that the company’s involvement in fuel marking and other revenue assurance programmes helped establish its presence within Ghana’s public-sector contracting environment.

Some sources further allege that his business proposals, which did not materialise under the Akufo-Addo administration, have resurfaced under the present Mahama government, including opportunities involving tax stamps and other revenue assurance services.

The reported relationship between Mr Osei and the Finance Minister, Dr Forson, has raised questions about whether the decision to proceed with TraffiTech-GH was based solely on road safety considerations or whether commercial interests also played a role.

The Herald understands that correspondence involving Nationwide-related companies and government institutions could provide further insight into the development of these arrangements. Of particular interest is which government institutions authorized the financial commitments under TraffiTech-GH and whether the Ministry of Finance approved any guarantees, payment obligations, or revenue-sharing provisions associated with the project.

Another major concern is whether TraffiTech-GH relies on surveillance infrastructure already financed by Ghanaian taxpayers.

Successive governments have invested heavily in security communications and monitoring systems, including the Integrated National Security Communications Enhancement Network, commonly associated with the “Alpha Project."

The initiative, implemented in partnership with Huawei Technologies, involved installing surveillance cameras and other security communications infrastructure. It commenced under the Mahama administration and continued during the Akufo-Addo government as part of broader efforts to strengthen national security monitoring and crime prevention.

Some accounts have placed the cost of the wider security communications infrastructure at more than US$380 million.

Critics contend that the government must explain whether existing publicly financed surveillance equipment is being incorporated into the automated traffic enforcement system. They argue that if private operators are substantially relying on infrastructure already paid for by taxpayers, the justification for allocating a significant share of traffic fines to NTMEL becomes even more questionable.

The issue is particularly relevant given the estimated GH¢77.73 million investment associated with TraffiTech-GH, but a comprehensive public breakdown of expenditures on new cameras, software, maintenance, operational support, and related infrastructure has yet to be provided.

The parliamentary status of the 11-year agreement has also become a subject of concern.

It remains unclear whether the contract received parliamentary approval, whether such approval was legally required under the applicable public-private partnership framework, or whether the arrangement was authorized entirely through executive and administrative processes.

The uncertainty comes ahead of the presentation of the 2027 Budget Statement and Economic Policy, scheduled for Thursday, 12 November 2026. Questions have arisen about whether Dr Forson will disclose the government’s financial commitments under TraffiTech-GH during his budget presentation.

Critics are demanding publication of the original agreement, any subsequent amendments, the revenue-sharing provisions and the legal basis for the private company’s participation in the traffic enforcement system. They also want clarification on whether the Mahama administration reviewed the contract before authorizing its full implementation.

The fact that the agreement was signed under an NPP government but operationalized under an NDC administration has prompted further scrutiny of the continuity of contractual obligations and the commercial interests surrounding the transaction.

Meanwhile, Sensys Gatso Group has confirmed that Ghana’s TraffiTech-GH National Road Safety Programme commenced live citation capture on 1 November 2026. In a statement issued on 2 November, the Swedish company announced that it would support the programme’s continued operation through its joint venture, NTMEL.

The company described the initiative as an important intervention designed to improve road safety in Ghana. The statement followed an earlier announcement on 30 September indicating that the Ghana Police Service had postponed full implementation from 1 October to 1 November to allow additional public education.

According to Sensys Gatso, the extension was intended to enable motorists and vehicle owners to familiarize themselves with the system before enforcement commenced. The company also indicated that its announcement constituted information that must be disclosed under the European Union’s Market Abuse Regulation, underscoring the project’s commercial significance for the Swedish-listed company.

However, while Sensys Gatso has publicly confirmed the commencement of operations, questions remain about the full financial and contractual terms governing its participation.

President Mahama’s endorsement of TraffiTech-GH has further intensified the controversy.

The President has defended automated traffic enforcement and urged motorists to comply with speed limits to avoid penalties. His position signals the government’s intention to proceed with the programme despite objections from sections of the motoring public.

However, critics argue that the administration is introducing a sophisticated enforcement system without adequately addressing the deteriorating condition of roads across the country.

In Accra and other parts of Ghana, motorists continue to contend with potholes, faded or non-existent road markings, malfunctioning traffic lights, inadequate street lighting and poorly maintained road infrastructure.

Some roads lack clearly visible speed-limit signs, raising questions about how drivers are expected to comply with restrictions that may not be adequately communicated.

Others have cited security concerns about poorly lit roads, where motorists sometimes accelerate out of fear of highway robbery and other criminal activity.

Commercial drivers, particularly those operating trotro services, have also expressed frustration over the programme.

Complaints have been particularly pronounced in parts of Accra, including Shiashie and Lapaz, where motorists have raised concerns about enforcement practices and the possibility of arbitrary penalties.

There have also been allegations of police personnel demanding money from drivers under the guise of enforcing TraffiTech-GH regulations, although the specific allegations have not been independently substantiated.

For many motorists, the controversy is not necessarily about opposition to road safety enforcement but about the perceived unfairness of imposing financial penalties while basic road infrastructure remains neglected.

The central question confronting the government is whether TraffiTech-GH is primarily a road safety initiative or a revenue mobilization mechanism that disproportionately benefits private investors.

Supporters of automated enforcement maintain that speed cameras and red-light monitoring systems can reduce reckless driving, improve compliance with traffic regulations and ultimately save lives.

Ghana continues to record significant fatalities from road traffic crashes, making effective enforcement an important national priority.

According to road safety figures cited in discussions surrounding the programme, 2,949 people died in road crashes in 2025, compared with 2,494 in 2024. The figures underscore the need for stronger interventions to reduce preventable deaths.

Nevertheless, critics insist that the legitimacy of automated enforcement depends not only on its potential to improve safety but also on transparency, fairness, accountability and the condition of the roads.

They have called for adequate safeguards against wrongful penalties, inaccurate speed readings and enforcement in areas where road signs or traffic signals are defective.

Questions have also been raised about the mechanisms for auditing fines collected under the programme and ensuring that motorists have access to transparent and effective procedures for challenging disputed penalties.

The Herald’s investigations have identified several unresolved issues surrounding the controversial agreement, including Mr Osei’s role in securing the contract, the involvement of officials under successive administrations and the extent of the Ministry of Finance’s participation.

Other outstanding matters include the actual investment made by NTMEL and its Swedish partner, the ownership and use of enforcement infrastructure, the parliamentary status of the agreement and the mechanisms for accounting for revenue generated through traffic fines.

The businessman’s reported political connections have added another dimension to the controversy, particularly because the contract has survived a change of government and is now being implemented under an administration that inherited it from its political opponents.

The disclosure of the relevant contracts, financial commitments and official decisions would enable the public to assess whether the arrangement adequately protects Ghana’s financial interests while serving its stated road safety objectives.

With the 2027 Budget Statement approaching, attention is likely to turn to Dr Ato Forson and whether the Ministry of Finance will provide a comprehensive account of the financial implications of TraffiTech-GH.

For now, the questions surrounding the 11-year agreement, its private beneficiaries and the government’s decision to proceed with its implementation remain unanswered.