Accra Okada riders allege extortion by MTTD officers

Commercial motorcycle riders in Accra, known as Okada riders, have accused officers of the Motor Traffic and Transport Directorate (MTTD) of routine extortion and bribery. Riders report being stopped during unspecified operations and pressured to pay between GHS100 and GHS200 on the spot. Some operators also allege that informal payments are required at police stations to secure the release of seized motorcycles.

These allegations coincide with data from the Ghana Statistical Service, which indicates that the MTTD recorded a bribery interaction rate of 54.6 percent in August 2026. This figure represents the highest bribery interaction rate of any unit within the Ghana Police Service. Because Okada operations face certain legal restrictions under national road traffic regulations, riders claim they are particularly vulnerable to arbitrary stops and financial exploitation that directly impacts their livelihoods.