GOVT TO EXPAND ROADS (Page 3)

19/01/2008
Story: Mary Mensah
The Government is to expand the roads on the three busiest corridors in the country to dual carriage ways to reduce road accidents by up to 40 per cent.
Statistics from the National Road Safety Commission (NRSC) has indicated that about 65 to 70 percent of road crashes occurred on those routes which are Tema/Aflao, Accra /Cape Coast and Accra/Kumasi.
The Minister of Transportation, Mr Godfrey T. Bayon announced this in Accra when he launched a one-day seminar on managing road safety with Corporate Ghana and the re-launch of the global road safety partnership voluntary code of conduct which was organised by TopTech Drive Consult at the La Palm Royal Beach Hotel in Accra.
He said government has amply demonstrated its commitment to road safety by passing the consolidated Road Traffic Act, 2004 Act 683 to replace the Road Traffic Ordinance of 1952.
He said the Act provides for a more comprehensive regulations of road traffic and road use to ensure safety on the roads.
Mr Bayon said following the passage of the Act, the ministry has prepared a legislative instrument which will regulate and provide focus for the effective implementation of the law and added that currently the instrument in under discussion
He said driver discipline with its resultant safety on our roads is a crucial element which no doubt will make Ghana a competitive and an attractive investment destination where investors both local and foreign will be comfortable and satisfied to do good business.
“ Unfortunately much as government together with other stakeholders do their best towards attaining some level of sanity on our roads, our roads continue to be safety hazard”, He said.
The Minister said at the end of the year 2005 data obtained revealed that for very 10,000 vehicles 23 persons lost their lives and this figure compares unfavourable with what obtained in the highly motorised countries like Denmark, Germany, Sweden and the UK where the fatality rate ranges between 1.5 to 2.3.
The Chairman of the (NRSC), Mr Clifford Aboagye who chaired the function blamed the Police Service for the increase in road accidents in the country.
He said instead of enforcing road traffic regulations and arresting errant drivers for over speeding, over loading, reckless driving among others they are rather interested in extorting monies from them.
He said while the commission was doing all it could to reduce the accidents on the roads through serious campaigns and advertisement country wide the law enforcers are lose on their job.
Mr Aboagye said another people who hinder the crusade were ford and luxurious bus drivers who are killing most passengers because of their eagerness to get to their destination on time and return to time.
He said last year the heat was on 407 buses but this has shifted to the ford and luxurious buses who speed and over take recklessly on the way in order to reach early thus forgetting the safety of passengers.
He also blamed fatal accidents on the roads on the encroachment of traders on the pavements and drivers who loose focus as a result of tiredness.
The Chairman of the board of TopTech Drive Consult, Mr Frank Davies said road safety continues to be one of the nations most serious public health issues which affects everyone whether you drive walk or even cycle.
He said companies and organisations as well as governmental corporations play a major role in the economy of our nation and it is therefore imperative that lives and properties would be protected at all times.
Mr Davies said drivers of most companies and organisations operates powerful and expensive vehicles in high speed, competitive and stressful environment which are often shared with vulnerable road users.
He said vehicles are changing rapidly as technology develops and driving conditions are becoming more difficult and challenging and it is important that drivers undertake refresher courses in order to upgrade their knowledge.