The Senior Industrial Relations Officer at the Ghana Private Road Transport Union (GPRTU) in the Upper West Region, Alhaji Nuhu Mahama, has called for more education for commercial drivers in the region on the safe use of roads.
He noted that some of the blunders committed by commercial drivers were as a result of ignorance on their part, and it would be unfair if the police and other law enforcers only concentrated on arresting them for mistakes they committed.
“I want to appeal to government and other road safety agents not to be in a hurry to just enforce the laws, enforcing the law is good but making sure that the people also understand the law and do not flout them is better and will make your work easier,” he stated.
Alhaji Mahama stated this when he took his turn to speak at the launch of the road safety campaign dubbed “Stay Alive” at Wa in the Upper West Region on Friday.
The ‘Stay Alive’ Campaign with the slogan “Gyae Obonsam Adwuma no” is expected to help create awareness on the need for discipline among road users in to reduce the carnage on the road, through strict observance of road safety regulations such as the wearing of crash helmet and driving at the right speed limit, among others.
It was attended by drivers and members of the Ghana Private Roads Transport Union (GPRTU) in the region as well as stakeholders from the Regional Coordinating Council and the police command, to educate the public on the need to be extra vigilant and cautious on the road.
“Road safety education is a priority; it should not be an annual affair because rigid enforcement of road safety regulations without education will not achieve the needed results. Drivers must be empowered to make them more efficient on the road so I am appealing to government to make resources available to the stakeholders to embark on such campaigns on regular basis,” he said.
Alhaji Mahama bemoaned the poor nature of some of the roads in the region which according to him, was the cause of many of the accidents and called for immediate attention be given to the rehabilitation of such roads.
He added that road signs and road markings should be made more visible, and designated at the right place to ensure that road users were properly guided on the road.
For his part, the Regional Director for the Authority, Mr Kwame Owusu Abrokwa, stated that the region, from January to October, recorded 146 reported cases of road crashes which claimed 42 lives.
“About 239 persons sustained injuries from the various accidents where 234 vehicles were destroyed in the process,” he stated.
The Director assured the public that the NRSA and its partners would continue to intensify education on road safety, and encourage road users to observe rules such as wearing of seat belts and avoiding the use of unapproved lamps and distractive lighting on the road.
FROM LYDIA DARLINGTON FORDJOUR, WA
