Okada Bill signals new era for electric mobility — Ghana Chamber of Clean Energy
The Ghana Chamber of Clean Energy (GCCE) has welcomed the passage of the Road Traffic Amendment Bill, 2025, describing it as a major policy milestone for Ghana’s transport sector and a strategic opening to fast-track the deployment and local manufacturing of electric two- and three-wheel vehicles.
The legislation, popularly known as the Okada Bill, amends the Road Traffic Act, 2004 (Act 683) to legalise the commercial use of motorcycles, tricycles and quadricycles, while introducing enhanced road safety provisions.
Parliament passed the bill under a Certificate of Urgency, citing the rapid growth of the sector and the need for effective regulation.
In a statement, Founder and Executive Director of GCCE, Seth Owusu-Mante, said the legalisation of commercial motorcycles and light vehicles formally acknowledges a mode of transport that has become critical to urban mobility, informal logistics, delivery services, last-mile connectivity and employment generation, particularly in urban and peri-urban communities.
According to the chamber, the move provides an opportunity to introduce structure, safety standards and long-term planning into a sector that has largely operated outside formal regulation.
From a clean energy standpoint, GCCE noted that the bill presents a strategic opportunity to accelerate the deployment and local manufacturing of electric mobility solutions, especially within the two- and three-wheeler segment.
The chamber observed that commercial motorcycles, tricycles and quadricycles account for a growing share of vehicle kilometres travelled in Ghana’s cities and are mostly powered by internal combustion engines, contributing to air pollution, public health risks, greenhouse gas emissions and noise pollution.
Mr. Owusu-Mante stressed that the formal recognition of the sector provides a critical policy lever to influence its future direction.
He said the sector can now be guided toward cleaner, safer and more efficient technologies through targeted standards, incentives and enforcement measures, rather than remaining emissions-intensive.
GCCE further indicated that effective implementation of the bill, particularly with a focus on electric motorcycles, could yield broader benefits including reduced urban air pollution and associated health risks.
It could also lower operating costs for riders through reduced fuel and maintenance expenses, while creating jobs in assembly, maintenance, battery services and charging infrastructure.
The chamber added that developing a local electric mobility value chain could position Ghana as a regional hub for the manufacture and export of electric two- and three-wheelers and related components, in line with the country’s energy transition and economic development agenda.
GCCE said it will study the Road Traffic Amendment Bill, 2025, as part of its policy and regulatory review, and looks forward to collaborating with government, Parliament, regulators, local authorities, transport unions, manufacturers, financiers and development partners to support the safe, environmentally responsible and inclusive scaling of electric motorcycles, tricycles and quadricycles to boost employment and economic growth.
