Ghana’s future Electronic Toll Architecture for our Roads: A brief study

Preamble

MyJoyOnline reports that during the keynote address at the 9th edition of the Ghana CEO Summit, H.E. President John Dramani Mahama cited Ghana’s current technological advancements, which have seen the country’s national identity card (Ghana Card) linked to several services, including driver’s licenses and vehicle registration. He noted that “The good thing today is that every car is linked to the owner’s Ghana card.”

The President further stated that for the new road toll system to be implemented: “If it’s 1 cedi, if you cross the East Legon bridge, a picture of your car is taken, and a bill will be sent to you and deductions made through your mobile money or your bank account.”

For any tech-savvy person, this visionary statement by H.E. the President immediately provokes excitement, thoughts and visions of the entire Information Technology (IT) ecosystems, architecture, high-speed high-resolution cameras, AFIS, ABIS, other Biometric systems, integration, interoperability, siloed databases, unitary or distributed, unified “Block chained” records, security, cybersecurity, and more.

How It Works

Technical Process Flow

So, how would such a road electronic tolling (e-tolling) system operate? Technologically, H.E. President’s statement can be translated into a technical process flow, which at its simplest is as follows:

Image Capture: As the vehicle crosses the bridge or at the point of tolling, a sensor detects the presence of a vehicle and triggers a high-speed, high-resolution camera to take an image or video of the vehicle’s license plate, without the vehicle needing to stop.
Plate Detection: A software isolates the Vehicle License Number (VLN) plate area from the image.
Character Recognition: An optical image reader (OCR) software reads the letters and numbers from the image and converts them to text format.
Data Processing: The Vehicle License Number (VLN) is queried against the DVLA database to derive a biometrically verified Vehicle Owner’s ID (VOID), plus Owner Phone/SIM Number, and the associated MoMo/Bank Account Number.
Toll Charge: The appropriate toll charge is now made against the MoMo Account, and an SMS confirmation message is sent to the Vehicle Owner’s Phone.

All within a couple of seconds! No queues, no stopping, no cash. Smooth, efficient, and beautiful! THE GHANA RESET WE ALL NEED!

The entire technology is known as Automatic Number Plate Recognition (ANPR) or ALPR (Automatic License Plate Recognition) that uses optical character recognition (OCR) to automatically read vehicle license plates from images or video footage.

Extended Applications

These high-resolution cameras can also be installed on:

Traffic light poles
Road junctions
Mobile police vehicles
Even on foot patrol officers

They are strategically positioned to detect illegal off-road driving and misdemeanors in cities and on motorways, with vehicle owners receiving instant fines and penalties directly debited from their MoMo/Bank accounts. Fast, instant, and efficient enforcement without human intervention.

When combined with speed measurement devices (speed gun) as a trigger, these high-resolution cameras will catch over-the-limit speed offenses, with automatic fines and levies deducted instantly without argument.

“Kwasia bii intii” Traffic Offenses Program

With an e-Tolling system like this implemented and functional, several extended applications become possible. One such approach, to use the phrase of Hon. Asiedu Nketia (pardon me!) in this context, is to implement a “Kwasia bii intii” (“a Nitwit because”) TRAFFIC OFFENSES PROGRAM for an effective penal traffic control and management system. The program will impose instant fines and penalties for:

Vehicle misdemeanors
Wrong parking
Red traffic light infringements
Other traffic violations

DVLA could be a wealthy agency indeed! Calmer roads for Ghana, I would imagine.

Electronic Vehicle Tolling: Global Practices

Globally, Electronic Vehicle Tolling (e-Toll) is a mature technology with wide adoption by most advanced countries, with China presenting the most formidable case study, which warrants a dedicated article.

Core Technology Approaches

Dedicated Short-Range Communication (DSRC) Systems
- Based on Radio Frequency ID (RFID) tags
- Examples: E-ZPass (Northeastern and Midwestern United States), FasTrak (California), FASTag (India)
- When a vehicle crosses e-toll points or gantries, electronic readers communicate with RFID tags in vehicles
Automatic Number Plate Recognition (ANPR)
- As described by H.E. the President
- Uses high-speed, high-resolution cameras
- Example: UK’s Dartford Crossing and London Congestion Charge backup e-toll system
Global Navigation Satellite System (GNSS)
- Based on GPS, GLONASS, or Galileo
- Uses vehicle-mounted onboard units (OBUs) to track vehicle movement
- A system beyond Ghana’s current needs

Global Case Studies

Singapore – ERP (Electronic Road Pricing)

The GNSS-based ERP 2.0 used in Singapore is the next-generation advanced Electronic Road Pricing system that uses satellite-based Global Navigation Satellite System technology to manage urban traffic and congestion.

Key Features:

Distance-based congestion charging system
Utilizes satellite positioning technology through vehicle-mounted onboard units (OBUs)
OBU has touchscreen and 4G connectivity
Charging depends on distance traveled and location
Real-time updates with rates and alerts shown on touchscreen
Coverage spans entire island

Objectives:

Reduce road congestion more effectively by charging proportionally to road usage
Enable fairer pricing (those who drive more in congested areas pay more)

Timeline: Piloted 2020–2022, began phased rollout from late 2023 into 2025

India – FASTag System

DSRC (FASTag) used in India is RFID-based with the following characteristics:

Based on RFID stickers on all vehicles
Mandated nationally since 2021
Payments auto-debited from linked mobile or bank accounts, including UPI wallets
Adoption scaled nationally by linking FASTag with vehicle registration at point of sale

Benefits:

Dramatically reduced queues and congestion at toll plazas (journey times cut by up to 80%)
Lowered operational costs significantly
Almost eliminated cash handling and manpower needs
Increased transparency and reduced revenue leakage through electronic audit trails

Challenges: Initial implementation hurdles such as tag availability, reader reliability, and account management (largely overcome)

Secondary Benefits of Electronic Road Tolling

Vehicle Flow Analytics (VFA)

While e-toll is primarily focused on more efficient revenue mobilization, when implemented properly, an e-tolling system creates a valuable stream of real-time data that can be leveraged for:

Transport planning
Law enforcement
Taxation
Economic forecasting
National security

Key Metrics Analyzed:

Vehicle counts (per minute/hour/day)
Speed and travel time
Vehicle classification (car, truck, bus, etc.)
Origin-destination flows
Congestion levels
Toll point performance and revenue per segment
Owner characteristics (gender, age, frequency of road use)

Analytical Techniques:

Pattern recognition (peak hours, route preferences)
Predictive modeling (forecasting congestion)
Emission mapping
Incident detection
Demand modeling for transport planning
Predictive e-toll income for national budget planning

Applications: Data-Driven Traffic and Infrastructure Planning

In the Ghanaian Context

Urban Planning: Vehicle Flow Analytics will help identify:

Congestion points on roads
Peak travel times
Road infrastructure stress points
Where to expand roads or build new bypasses
Evidence-based road infrastructure investment decisions

The Accra Central Business Zone (ACBZ) could be zoned as a high e-toll tariff zone, charged at double the normal rate to discourage unnecessary trips. Dynamic e-toll charges could be applied during peak hours only to manage congestion.

Vehicle Registration and Insurance Compliance: VFA matches toll records against the national vehicle registry at DVLA to:

Flag unregistered or expired vehicle licenses
Check roadworthiness certificates and insurance
Enable direct billing through mobile money accounts
Spread payments monthly instead of yearly bulk sums
Send automated alerts via SMS for defaulters
Enable roadside scanners to identify defaulters for police enforcement

Environmental Monitoring and Emissions Control: E-tolling VFA data can:

Track vehicle types, engine classes, and emission zones
Enable introduction of low-emission zones
Implement congestion taxes
Offer green or electric vehicle discounts
Help quantify carbon footprint of vehicular movement

Enhanced National Security and Crime Prevention: Integration with existing CCTV networks enables:

Detection of stolen vehicles
Tracking movements of suspect vehicles
Support for border security
Real-time data sharing with security services
Monitoring cross-border movements

Support for Local Government Revenue: E-tolling points can be geofenced to channel revenues directly to district or municipal assembly treasuries.

The Weakest Link: Ghana’s Citizenship Identity Architecture

The weakest link in implementing e-toll might be Ghana’s peculiar Citizenship Identity architecture. The Ghana Card is not enough of an identifier on its own, but a single component of the full identification system that the country needs to migrate into a digital ecosystem.

Requirements for Comprehensive Digital Citizen Identification

A comprehensive Digital Citizen Identification system should accomplish three things:

Biometric Identification: Unambiguously identify a citizen biometrically (Ghana Card achieves this)
Communication: Government agencies should be able to communicate with the citizen (Mobile Phone ID facilitates this)
Financial Transactions: Government must be able to conduct financial transactions with the citizen (Mobile Money platform enables this)

The Problem: Incomplete Integration

Current State – Siloed Databases:

Ghana Card is required for DVLA licenses and captured at DVLA’s database
Ghana Card is required for phone/SIM and MoMo account registration, captured at each mobile operator’s database
Ghana Card is required for bank accounts, captured at each bank’s database

Current E-Toll Process (Cumbersome):

First query to DVLA database returns Ghana Card ID of vehicle owner
Second query using Ghana Card ID to mobile operators returns phone/SIM number and associated MoMo account
Third query retrieves bank account details if bank payment is preferred

This process is cumbersome, inefficient, creates multiple points of failure, and increases the risk of incomplete e-toll levy transactions.

Proposal: Unique Citizen Identification (UCI)

Implementation Framework

Step 1: Enhanced NIA Database The Ghana Card database should contain:

Ghana Card + Phone/SIM + MoMo/Bank Account = TRUE UNIQUE CITIZEN IDENTIFICATION (UCI)

Step 2: Database Integration This combined UCI should be mandatorily transferred to other databases:

DVLA
SSNIT
GRA
Births and Deaths Registry
Other government agencies

Step 3: Streamlined E-Toll Process After ANPR derives the vehicle number plate, a single database query to DVLA yields all required data to complete the MoMo charge to the vehicle owner.

Benefits of UCI Implementation

Single point of query for all citizen services
Reduced system complexity and failure points
Enhanced data integrity and security
Streamlined government service delivery
Foundation for comprehensive digital transformation

Conclusion

Electronic tolling is more than just a mechanism for collecting revenue; it serves as a cornerstone of a national digital intelligence infrastructure.

When the Unique Citizen Identification (UCI) is integrated with a comprehensive digital governance framework, ported to agencies like SSNIT, GRA, Property Rates, Legal, Passports, Births and Deaths registry, and other government citizen interactions, it forms the catalyst for widespread digital transformation across sectors including:

Transportation
Education
Health
Security
Taxation
Property rates
Urban planning

Ultimately, this integration establishes a robust foundation for delivering government services centered around the needs of citizens—a CITIZEN-CENTRIC DIGITAL ECOSYSTEM.

My two pesewas!

Leslie Mensah Tamakloe