Akufo-Addo asked to remove the chair of the Road Safety Commission

MRS. MAY OBIRI-YEBOAH, DIRECTOR GENERAL OF THE NATIONAL ROAD SAFETY COMMISSION (NRSC)

E. NANA ADDO DANKWA AKUFO ADDO
PRESIDENT OF THE REPUBLIC OF GHANA
JUBILEE HOUSE
ACCRA
APRIL 8, 2019
Your excellence,
REQUEST FOR WITHDRAWAL OF MRS. MAY OBIRI-YEBOAH, DIRECTOR GENERAL OF THE NATIONAL ROAD SAFETY COMMISSION (NRSC)

I write as a former road safety ambbadador for the National Road Safety Commission (NRSC). I've been forced to file this petition, concerned about the growing number of road accidents in the country, especially in the last three years, which have claimed the lives of countless victims , maimed thousands of people and left many families and dependents in traumatic and economically disastrous situations.

For starters, the high rate of road accidents in this country is not a new phenomenon. Ghana is very well ranked among the countries where road accidents have become a major cause of death. However, the last three years of 2016 to 2018 have seen a dramatic rise that should sound the alarm for the government and for all well-meaning Ghanaians.

According to statistics, the number of casualties recorded during this period alone has increased from 1,634 deaths and 8,448 injuries in 2015 to 2,381 deaths and 13,677 injuries in 2018. The signs already show that 2019 could beat Records. During the first three months of January to March of the year, 411 deaths, of which 120 occurred in March alone, were recorded, as well as 2,048 injuries.

Your Excellency, I am firmly convinced that the recent wave of accidents on our roads can be attributed largely to the National Road Safety Commission and its current leaders, led by Ms. May Obiri-Yeboah, Executive Director.

As an ambbadador for road safety, an accident victim of a road accident, I played a leading role on behalf of the NRSC without any financial support from the Commission, including by sponsoring announcements on radio and television to raise public awareness of the devastating effects. accidents in the road. Indeed, I believe that many of these accidents are due to human errors and failures and that education and public awareness could have a significant impact on road users, including conductors.

Unfortunately, the Executive Director has been insensitive and insensitive to the ideals of the Commission. Personal disagreements with Commission staff led to the resignation of key staff members, including Regional Directors from Ashanti and Western Regions, who were left behind. As a result, the NRSC has failed miserably in its primary function of promoting road safety. Public education on road safety has completely ceased under his leadership and one of the most obvious elements is the absence of any announcement of road safety in the media. Other critical programs that can sensitize road users, especially motorists, have been put in place. discarded or reduced. All this shows the failure of the NRSC leadership under the leadership of Ms. Obiri-Yeboah.

Mr. Speaker, with this petition, I urge you to relieve Ms. Obiri Yeboah from her position as Director General and replace her with a more competent and resolute leader. Mr. President, your efforts to limit road accidents in the country and make our roads safer will never be successful if senior NRSC leaders do not change and as long as Ms. Obiri-Yeboah continues to be the main decision-maker in the operations of the Commission.

I hope that your common sense will guide you to make the necessary changes to the NRSC in order to place it on the road to reconstruction and to save the country from road disasters that continue to destroy lives, limbs and means. of subsistence.

Thank you in advance.
Sincerely yours
Gabby Adu Gyamfi
Former ambbadador,
National Road Safety Commission