Aboboyaa ban: AMA orders tricycles off inner lanes and sets reflector deadline

Aboboyaa operators in Accra have been banned from using the inner lanes of roads under new measures introduced by the Accra Metropolitan Assembly (AMA) to improve road safety.

Accra Mayor Michael Kpakpo Allotey said operators of the cargo tricycles must use designated side roads where these are available.

Where there is no side road, they must keep to the outer lane of the road, he said.

The new directive also requires the tricycles to be fitted with reflectors, while operators are expected to wear

reflective clothing to make themselves more visible, particularly at night.

The AMA has given operators until the end of August 2026 to install reflector stickers on their vehicles.

Those who fail to comply will face sanctions, the Assembly said.

“If there are highways and there’s a side road, they must always use the side road. If there are no side roads, they must drive the outer lane, with reflectors on,” Mr Allotey told journalists.

The Assembly says the measures are intended to reduce accidents involving tricycles and improve safety for all road users.

The directive is particularly significant for Accra, where Aboboyaa operators are commonly used to transport goods and other materials.

Under the new arrangement, operators will have to change how they use major roads depending on whether a designated side road is available.

The AMA has urged operators to comply before enforcement begins.

However, the information supplied does not specify the exact sanctions that will be imposed on operators who fail to meet the August deadline, nor does it identify the roads where designated side routes are available.

Those details will be important for operators and other road users as enforcement approaches.

For now, the immediate requirement is clear: Aboboyaa operators must stay out of inner lanes, use designated side roads where available, and ensure their vehicles and clothing are fitted with reflective materials.