What Ghanaians Need to Know About Frank Osei, His Swedish Partner and the Controversial TraffiTech-G

Investigations by The Herald into Ghana’s controversial TraffiTech-GH automated traffic enforcement programme have brought businessman Frank Kwame Osei, Chairman of Nationwide Group Ghana, into the spotlight over his business interests and reported political connections across the country’s two major political parties.

Mr Osei’s business portfolio spans petroleum product marking, tax stamps, revenue assurance and traffic enforcement technology.

His company reportedly holds a controlling interest in the private entity responsible for implementing TraffiTech-GH, an 11-year agreement signed under the administration of former President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo and subsequently endorsed for implementation by President John Dramani Mahama.

The investigations have raised questions about the political and commercial relationships surrounding the agreement, particularly given the continued support for the project under successive governments despite growing public opposition.

Sources familiar with Mr Osei’s business activities describe him as a businessman who has established relationships with influential figures within both the National Democratic Congress (NDC) and the New Patriotic Party (NPP).

Some have interpreted the opposition party’s apparent silence on the controversy as an indication of a possible consensus among political and business elites over the arrangement.

Of particular interest is his reported relationship with Finance Minister 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 understands that Mr Osei’s business interests have attracted attention within the Ministry of Finance in recent years.

Proposals and correspondence involving companies associated with him are reportedly to have featured in discussions concerning government contracts, including a proposal for the application of tax stamps to vegetable cooking oil through a sole-sourced arrangement.

However, the extent of Dr Forson’s direct involvement in the decision to implement TraffiTech-GH, beyond the government’s endorsement of the programme, remains unclear.

Some sources have suggested that revenue mobilisation considerations may have influenced the decision to proceed with the system.

Nevertheless, the circumstances surrounding the agreement, its implementation under two successive administrations and the financial benefits reportedly accruing to its private operators have intensified calls for greater transparency and accountability.

Information available to The Herald indicates that the TraffiTech-GH agreement was signed in December 2022 under the Akufo-Addo administration.

The 11-year contract is expected to remain in force until December 2033.

The arrangement was reportedly facilitated during the tenure of former Transport Minister Kwaku Ofori Asiamah, through connections involving Mr Osei.

The programme is being implemented by Nationwide Traffic Management and Enforcement Limited (NTMEL), a Ghanaian-Swedish profit-making company established to provide automated traffic enforcement services in the country.

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

Under the agreement, the company is responsible for deploying and operating speed-detection cameras, red-light monitoring equipment, software and other technological systems required to identify and process traffic violations.

NTMEL’s ownership structure comprises Mr Osei, who reportedly holds a controlling 60 per cent stake, and Sensys Gatso International B.V., which owns the remaining 40 per cent.

The foreign partner is associated with Sweden-based Sensys Gatso Group, an international traffic safety technology company listed on Nasdaq Stockholm.

The participation of the Swedish company has given the project an international dimension, with Sensys Gatso issuing public statements confirming its involvement and the commencement of operations in Ghana.

However, questions remain about the actual financial and infrastructural contributions of the private partners, particularly following concerns that existing surveillance facilities financed with public funds may have been incorporated into the programme.

One of the most contentious features of TraffiTech-GH is the reported arrangement under which NTMEL receives 40 per cent of the fines imposed on motorists.

The revenue-sharing arrangement has attracted criticism from sections of the public, who argue that it risks turning traffic enforcement into a commercial venture for private investors rather than an intervention primarily intended to improve road safety.

The ownership structure of NTMEL has also raised questions about how the proceeds allocated to the company are ultimately distributed between its Ghanaian and Swedish shareholders.

Based on the reported shareholding structure, Mr Osei’s 60 per cent interest in NTMEL would translate into an indirect economic interest equivalent to 24 per cent of the total traffic fines collected, assuming the company’s proceeds are distributed strictly according to its ownership structure.

Similarly, Sensys Gatso International B.V.’s 40 per cent stake would represent an equivalent interest of 16 per cent of the total fines.

This calculation has intensified public interest in the actual contributions made by NTMEL and its foreign partner towards securing and implementing the contract.

Critics have questioned why a private company should receive such a substantial portion of traffic penalties when the Ghana Police Service and other public institutions remain responsible for enforcing road traffic regulations.

They argue that fines should serve primarily as deterrents against dangerous driving rather than provide substantial commercial returns to private businesses.

Concerns have also emerged over the possibility that linking the company’s earnings to fines collected could create financial incentives that conflict with the programme’s stated objective of reducing traffic violations.

The Herald’s investigations have further established that Mr Osei has a history of business dealings involving government institutions.

His company, Nationwide Technologies Limited (NTL), has previously been associated with petroleum product marking services provided for the National Petroleum Authority (NPA).

The fuel-marking initiative is intended to help regulatory authorities identify adulterated or diverted petroleum products while addressing revenue losses associated with illegal activities in the downstream petroleum sector.

Nationwide Technologies has participated in providing these services across the petroleum distribution chain, an arrangement involving financial commitments running into millions of dollars over the years.

However, the cost and effectiveness of the fuel-marking programme have periodically attracted public scrutiny, particularly because of its implications for petroleum prices and consumer expenditure.

The cost of the service is reflected in the expenses ultimately borne by consumers when purchasing fuel.

Mr Osei’s professional profile on LinkedIn also lists services offered by his business interests, including petroleum product authentication, the provision of tax stamps to support government revenue mobilisation, environmental audits for oil marketing companies and electronic enforcement solutions for police institutions.

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

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

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

Some sources have also alleged that business proposals associated with Mr Osei that failed to materialise under the Akufo-Addo administration have resurfaced under the current Mahama government.

These reportedly include opportunities involving tax stamps and other revenue assurance services.

The reported relationship between Mr Osei and Dr Forson has consequently raised questions about whether the decision to implement TraffiTech-GH was driven exclusively by road safety considerations or whether commercial and revenue mobilisation interests also influenced the process.

The Herald understands that correspondence involving Nationwide-related companies and government institutions could provide further insight into how these arrangements developed.

Among the outstanding issues is the identity of the government institutions that authorised the financial commitments associated with TraffiTech-GH.

There are also questions about whether the Ministry of Finance approved any guarantees, payment obligations or revenue-sharing provisions connected to the project.

Another major concern relates to the possible use of surveillance infrastructure previously financed by Ghanaian taxpayers.

Successive governments have invested substantial resources in security communications and monitoring facilities, including the Integrated National Security Communications Enhancement Network, popularly associated with the Alpha Project.

The initiative, implemented in partnership with Huawei Technologies, involved the installation of surveillance cameras and other communications infrastructure to strengthen national security monitoring and crime prevention.

The project commenced under the Mahama administration and continued during the Akufo-Addo government as part of broader efforts to expand the country’s security surveillance capabilities.

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

Critics are therefore demanding clarification on whether equipment and facilities financed through these public investments are being incorporated into the TraffiTech-GH system.

They argue that if the private operators are relying substantially on infrastructure already purchased with taxpayers’ money, the justification for allocating a significant percentage of traffic fines to NTMEL becomes even more questionable.

The concerns have gained prominence against the background of the project’s estimated GH¢77.73 million investment. However, a comprehensive public breakdown of expenditure on new cameras, software, maintenance, operational support and related infrastructure has yet to be provided.

The legal and parliamentary status of the 11-year agreement has also become a subject of scrutiny.

Questions remain about whether the contract was submitted to Parliament for approval, whether parliamentary authorisation was required under the applicable public-private partnership framework and whether the arrangement was approved entirely through executive and administrative processes.

The uncertainty comes ahead of the presentation of the 2027 Budget Statement and Economic Policy, scheduled for Thursday, November 12, 2026.

Attention is increasingly turning to whether Dr Forson will use the budget presentation to disclose the government’s financial obligations and other commitments under the TraffiTech-GH arrangement.

Critics are calling for the publication of the original agreement, subsequent amendments, revenue-sharing provisions and the legal framework governing the participation of private operators in the country’s traffic enforcement system.

They also want the government to explain whether the Mahama administration conducted a comprehensive review of the agreement before authorising its full implementation.

The fact that the contract was signed under an NPP administration but operationalised under an NDC government has further heightened scrutiny of the arrangement, particularly regarding the continuity of contractual obligations and the commercial interests involved.

Meanwhile, Sensys Gatso Group has confirmed that Ghana’s TraffiTech-GH National Road Safety Programme commenced live citation capture on November 1, 2026.

In a statement issued on November 2, the Swedish company announced that it would continue supporting the programme’s operations through its joint venture, NTMEL.

The company described the initiative as an important intervention aimed at improving road safety in Ghana.

The announcement followed an earlier communication on September 30, which indicated that the Ghana Police Service had postponed the full commencement of enforcement from October 1 to November 1 to allow additional public education.

According to Sensys Gatso, the extension was intended to give motorists and vehicle owners sufficient time to understand how the system operates before penalties began to be enforced.

The Swedish company also indicated that its announcement constituted information requiring disclosure under the European Union’s Market Abuse Regulation, highlighting the project’s significance to the publicly listed company.

Despite the confirmation of operational activities, the complete financial and contractual arrangements governing Sensys Gatso’s participation remain unclear.

President Mahama’s support for TraffiTech-GH has further intensified the debate surrounding the programme.

The President has defended the introduction of automated traffic enforcement and urged motorists to observe speed limits to avoid penalties.

His position indicates that the government intends to proceed with the initiative despite resistance from sections of the motoring public.

However, critics argue that the administration is prioritising an advanced traffic enforcement system without adequately addressing the poor condition of roads in several parts of the country.

Motorists in Accra and other urban centres continue to grapple with potholes, faded or missing road markings, malfunctioning traffic lights, inadequate street lighting and poorly maintained roads.

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

Poor lighting on certain roads has also become a source of concern, with some motorists maintaining that security fears, including the threat of highway robbery, influence their driving behaviour.

Commercial drivers, particularly operators of trotro services, have expressed frustration over the implementation of the programme.

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

There have also been allegations that some police personnel demand money from drivers under the pretext of enforcing TraffiTech-GH regulations. However, the specific claims have not been independently substantiated.

For many motorists, the controversy is not necessarily rooted in opposition to road safety enforcement but in concerns about the perceived unfairness of imposing financial penalties while essential road infrastructure remains in poor condition.

The central issue confronting the government is whether TraffiTech-GH is primarily a road safety intervention or a revenue mobilisation arrangement that delivers disproportionate financial benefits to private investors.

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

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

Figures cited in discussions surrounding the programme indicate that 2,949 people died in road crashes in 2025, compared with 2,494 fatalities recorded in 2024.

The increase highlights the urgency of introducing measures capable of reducing preventable road deaths.

Nevertheless, critics insist that the credibility and public acceptance of automated enforcement will depend not only on its potential to improve road safety but also on transparency, fairness, accountability and the condition of the country’s road infrastructure.

They are demanding safeguards to protect motorists against wrongful penalties, inaccurate speed readings and enforcement in areas where road signs or traffic signals are defective.

There are also calls for transparent mechanisms to audit fines collected through the system and ensure that motorists have access to effective procedures for challenging penalties they consider unjustified.

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

Other outstanding questions concern the actual investments made by NTMEL and its Swedish partner, the ownership and utilisation of enforcement infrastructure, the parliamentary status of the agreement and the mechanisms for accounting for revenue generated through traffic fines.

Source: https://mobile.ghanaweb.com/GhanaHomePage/NewsArchive/Masterminds-of-controversial-TraffiTech-GH-deal-unmasked-2060477

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