Parliament has passed the Road Traffic Amendment Bill 2025, giving formal approval for motorcycles, tricycles and quadricycles to be used for commercial transport. Government officials say the move is expected to streamline operations within the transport industry and improve overall road safety.

Approved on Wednesday, December 10, the amendment also adjusts Ghana’s legally permissible alcohol limit for drivers and introduces stricter sanctions designed to curb alcohol-related road offences.

Presenting the rationale behind the changes, the Minister for Transport, Joseph Nikpe Bukari, told lawmakers that the updated law seeks to restore order to a sector that has long faced regulatory inconsistencies.

“The Road Traffic Amendment Bill seeks to sanitise road transport services. We have had several issues involving road users, and this bill aims to introduce stricter punishment, enhance safety measures, and ensure the effective and efficient use of our roads,” he told MPs.

The recently enacted law aims to formalise the operations of commercial riders, especially among the more than one million motorbike and tricycle operators who have worked outside formal regulations for years.

Authorities say the reform will create fresh job opportunities for youth while establishing clearer procedures for licensing, training, and regulatory oversight.

The legislation also revises the legal limit for alcohol levels in drivers.

Parliamentarians argue that the change is vital to ensure enforceable standards and to reduce preventable accidents caused by impaired driving.

Road safety continues to be a critical challenge nationwide. Ghana records roughly 2,000 traffic-related deaths each year, with motorcycles playing a major role in accidents in both cities and surrounding communities.

The Ministry of Transport notes that the new framework will mitigate these dangers through structured rider education, mandatory safety gear, and harsher penalties for violations.

The amendments also complement wider transport sector reforms scheduled for 2025, which include enhanced safety regulations, evidence-based enforcement, and strengthened cooperation among law enforcement agencies.

Following the bill’s approval, the Transport Ministry is set to release operational guidelines for commercial licensing and outline enforcement timelines in the near future.

In July, The Ghana Medical Trust Fund Bill, 2025, also known as MahamaCares, was passed by Parliament.

The Bill, which was laid before Parliament on Monday, July 21, was opposed by the Minority; the caucus warned that it could put a strain on the National Health Insurance Scheme (NHIS) budget and its operations.

It is currently play a pivotal role in enhancing healthcare access for many Ghanaians, particularly those battling chronic diseases and unable to afford the necessary medical treatment.

The Social Protection Bill 2025 intended to aid the establishment of the Social Protection Fund has been successfully passed by parliament.

This will provide a legal framework for social protection programmes that will enhance accessibility and equity in the delivery of social services to the impoverished communities.

“This bill will give legal backing and strengthen regulations of many social intervention initiatives in the country,” the Minister for Gender, Children and Social Protection, Agnes Naa Momo Lartey, said on the floor of Parliament on Thursday, July 31.

The Bill was passed after it faced strong opposition from the Minority in Parliament on Wednesday, July 30, who claimed that the proceedings lacked required quorum.

However, it has paved the way to set up the Social Protection Fund aimed at providing financial resources to tackle emergencies and the mobilisation of funds for social protection delivery.

The programmes include the Livelihood Empowerment Against Poverty LEAP, Ghana School Feeding Programme, Basic Education Capitation Grants, and National Health Insurance Exemption, among others.

The Fisheries and Aquaculture Bill 2025 has also been passed by parliament after taking the Bill through a certificate of urgency on July 16, 2025.

Explaining the purpose of the Bill to the House, the Minister for Fisheries and Aquaculture Hon. Emelia Arthur noted that the Bill had been revised to reflect Ghana’s commitment to the Blue Economy agenda.

She was of the view that this underscores the importance of harnessing marine and aquatic resources sustainably to support economic growth, social inclusion, food security, and environmental protection.

Parliament also passed the University for Development Studies Bill, 2025 after taking the Bill through a certificate of urgency.

Explaining the purpose of the Bill to the House, the Minister of Education, Honourable Haruna Iddrisu noted that the Bill seeks to establish the University for Development Studies(UDS) through the re-enactment of P.N.D.C.L 279.

This, he said, will help to restructure and empower the University for Development Studies to provide quality and higher education to meet the diverse and development needs of the country.

Presenting the report of the Committee to the House, the Chairman of the Committee, Honorable Peter Nortsu-Kotoe, indicated that the Committee acknowledges the significant structural changes that have taken place since the establishment of the UDS over the past 32 years of its existence.

Accordingly, it has become necessary to review P.N.D.C.L 279 to bring the law into conformity with current policy and best practices adopted in public universities in Ghana.