Priority to the reduction of road accidents, measures already in place – Government

General News of Monday, March 25, 2019

Source: citinewsroom.com

2019-03-25

The government has described as a major priority its determination to end the alarming rate of road accidents in the country.

To this end, it indicates that the public institutions responsible for ensuring compliance with road safety regulations are able to carry out their tasks effectively.

Over the years, the public, stakeholders and regulators have expressed concern over the increasing number of road accidents on Ghana's roads, calling for major interventions to avoid large numbers of deaths and injuries. recorded during accidents.

The latest to restart the conversation is the two bloody accidents of Kintampo and Mankesim last Friday, which have left more than 70 dead and several wounded.

Speaking to the press Sunday, the information minister, Kojo Oppong Nkrumah, repeated the badurances of the government.

"The government reiterates its thanks to the victims and families affected by the recent carnage incidents on the roads that have killed more than 60 people since Friday. The reduction of road accidents in the country is a major priority for the government. That is why agencies such as the National Road Safety Commission and the MTTD of the Police continue to receive support from the central government to address road safety issues and also to tackle the main factors that contribute to road accidents in the country. "

He then outlined the plans adopted to combat what has become a major source of concern for Ghanaians.

"The government is also reviewing road traffic rules to address some implementation challenges and to incorporate innovations in road transport management services. The government is also seeking to strengthen road safety education and educate the general public on compliance with road safety plans, procedures and policies. "

"Avoidable deaths on our roads, insane, the government must intervene" – Otabil

Dr. Mensa Otabil, Chief Pastor of ICHC, the International Central Church, said that Ghanaians can not continue to die in what he described as insane accidents on the country's roads.

According to him, he does not understand why "innocent" lives continue to perish in what he describes as "dangerous" journeys.

He urged the government to take immediate steps to ensure that the country's roads are safer to move, to prevent such preventable deaths.

While deploring the dead in a sermon, Dr. Otabil said that steps must be taken to save the lives of Ghanaians.

"What is sad is that lives have been lost. people – parents, children died and people lost their loved ones in a totally nonsense way. Nobody needs to die on the road. Ghana is a very small country, why should traveling be dangerous? This is not good, and we should not allow this to happen. "

"Our leaders should take note of it and not just talk about it, but really do something and intervene. When we hear that people have died, it should be inevitable that nothing can be done and not when someone travels innocently on a trip, "he added.

Meanwhile, the parliamentary minority wants to summon the Ministers of Roads and Roads, Transport and the Interior to answer questions about the rising rate of road accidents.

According to the minority, the interministerial committee set up to investigate the cause of road accidents was not planned.

Kwame Governs Agbodza, spokesman for minority transport, worries about the continued loss of life, said parliamentary intervention would be needed to force the committee to implement its recommendations.

"We will compel these three ministers to appear before Parliament and present the content of the report they presented to the President, and make it public in order to improve road safety in this country. None of the things we see so far gives anybody an inclination as to what the [report] is about. I think Parliament will do a better job of forcing these ministers to go to Parliament and give us an idea of ​​what they have done. So we can all examine and determine whether to act or if we need to do more, "he said.