The newly assigned North East Regional Director of Health Service, Dr. Joyce Emakayor Bening, has officially joined the regional health management team during the Mid-Year Performance Review held on Tuesday August 25, 2026 at the Baptist Medical Centre in Nalerigu

Her participation in the review meeting marks the beginning of her tenure as she takes over leadership of the North East Regional Health Directorate

Dr. Bening succeeds Dr. Chrysantus Kubio, the Northern Regional Director of Health Service, who had been serving as caretaker of the North East Region following the reassignment of the substantive Regional Director, Dr. Godfred Kwabena Sarpong, to the Western Region

The Mid-Year Performance Review brought together health managers and other key stakeholders to assess the region’s health service delivery, review achievements, identify challenges, and discuss strategies for improving healthcare outcomes

Dr. Bening’s appointment is expected to provide renewed leadership as the North East Regional Health Directorate continues its efforts to strengthen healthcare delivery and improve access to quality health services across the region

Her assumption of office forms part of ongoing administrative changes within the Ghana Health Service aimed at enhancing leadership and service delivery across the country’s regions

Source – PRO – NER RHD

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Commercial motorcycle and tricycle operators who fail to comply with Ghana’s newly approved Legislative Instrument (LI) 2519 risk fines, loss of operating privileges and up to eight months imprisonment, the Upper East Regional Head of the National Road Safety Authority (NRSA), Eric Anokye Fordjour, has warned

Speaking in a one-on-one interview on GBC URA Radio 89.7MHz “Ripples” Programme, hosted by Osman Masahudu Jinkor, Mr. Fordjour said the new regulation is aimed at bringing order, accountability and safety to Ghana’s rapidly expanding commercial motorcycle and tricycle transport sector

The warning comes against the backdrop of alarming road crash statistics

According to him, 2,974 people lost their lives in road crashes across Ghana in 2025, with 1,375 deaths involving motorcycles and tricycles nearly half of all road fatalities

“Almost half of those who died on our roads were killed through motorcycle related crashes. That is why it is necessary to regulate the sector,” he stressed

Tough New Requirements

Mr. Fordjour explained that operators have a 12-month transition period to comply with the new regulations before full enforcement begins

Among the mandatory requirements are :
Operators must be 21 years or older.
They must obtain a commercial rider’s licence from the Driver and Vehicle Licensing Authority (DVLA)

Their motorcycles or tricycles must be re-registered as commercial vehicles with yellow number plates

Operators must obtain a Road Use Certificate, renewable every six months

Every rider must belong to a registered transport union recognised by the NRSA.
Riders must secure third-party insurance

Applicants must pass medical examinations, eye tests, theory and practical driving tests before receiving a commercial licence

He explained that people between 18 and 20 years may hold private riding licences but cannot legally operate commercial motorcycles or tricycles

Jail Term for Defaulters

Mr. Fordjour cautioned that operators who ignore the regulations after the grace period could face prosecution

“The law provides for fines ranging from 25 to 50 penalty units, and where necessary, offenders may be sentenced to up to eight months imprisonment,” he stated

He urged all commercial riders to begin the registration process immediately to avoid future sanctions

Regulation Not Meant to Destroy Jobs

Addressing concerns that the law could affect livelihoods, Mr. Fordjour argued that the regulation would instead improve employment opportunities by formalising the sector while protecting passengers

He acknowledged that motorcycles and tricycles have become an important source of income for many young people and women, particularly traders who use them to transport goods to and from markets

According to him, bringing the sector into the formal economy would improve service quality, enhance passenger protection and make operators more accountable

Concern Over Border Traffic

Mr. Fordjour also expressed concern over the growing congestion along the Paga border corridor, revealing that trucks are occupying nearly three kilometres of one side of the road due to delays in customs documentation from Burkina Faso

The situation, he noted, has reduced the highway to a single lane, creating dangerous conditions for motorists, especially motorcycle and tricycle riders.
He said stakeholders are working to establish a designated parking area for the trucks to ease congestion and improve road safety

Call for Public Cooperation

Mr. Fordjour appealed to commercial riders and the general public to cooperate with the NRSA and other stakeholders during the transition period

He said the Authority will continue its nationwide education campaign to ensure operators understand the new requirements before enforcement begins

“We want a future where road crashes reduce significantly and more lives are saved. That is the purpose of LI 2519,” he said

Source – gbcuraonline.com

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