NRSA MEETS WITH TRANSPORT OPERATORS OVER RECKLESS DRIVING OF TOYOTA HIACE VEHICLES

published: Sept. 29, 2022, 1:44 p.m.

(May 6, 2022, Accra) The National Road Safety Authority (NRSA) has met with Transport Operators with regards to the reckless driving of some Toyota HiAce drivers on the Accra – Kumasi highway. The agenda for the meeting was Disregard for Road Safety Precautions on the Accra – Kumasi Highway: A threat to National Security.

Addressing the gathering, the Ag. Director-General of NRSA, Ing. David Osafo Adonteng, stated the relevance of the meeting which was very necessary due to the emerging problem of reckless driving. He expressed concerns being raised by the general public of the disregard to traffic rules by some Toyota HiAce drivers. He revealed that the Ministry of National Security finds the issue a problem and identify it as a threat to national growth. The latter, he said, necessitated the call for the meeting to put a halt to the worrying situation and for offenders to change their behaviour.

For his part, the Deputy Director, Planning and Programmes, made a presentation on the “Abuse of Toyota HiAce Minibuses for Passenger Transport: Threat of National Security”. He touched on the beginnings of the NRSA, and its mandate (to develop and promote road safety in the country, co-ordinate and regulate activities, procedures and standards related to road safety and to provide for related matters). He added in his presentation that the NRSA has established a Road Safety Information Centre to collect data on road safety problems through reports and suggestions from the general public through the short code 194.

Mr. Wuaku then touched on the country’s current road safety situation. Comparing the first quarter of 2022 to 2021, he stated that there has been a general reduction in all indicators (crashes reported, persons killed, persons injured and pedestrian knockdowns). “Between 2010 and 2020, pedestrian fatalities have also seen a general decline (saving the lives of 14 people every year). Bus and minibus occupant fatalities have seen a decline between 2010 and 2020 of 6 persons being saved every year. Motorcycle/tricycle fatalities have however seen a rise of 147 deaths every year between the same period”, he added.

Mr. Wuaku insisted that Ghana’s 1992 Constitution guarantees every citizen the right to safety and life. Therefore, any act that jeopardizes the right to safety and life of any Ghanaian would be considered a security threat.

Intercity STC and PROTOA were commended for their efforts in driver training, tracking of their vehicles and implementing the 2 drivers for journeys longer than 4 hours or 500km directive.

The outcome of the meeting included the NRSA arranging to meet road safety stakeholder agencies to improve the road infrastructure, intensify public sensitization and education with the Stay Alive Road Safety campaign, ensure that the regulations and compliance mandates are

enforced by the Authority and come up with sanctions for noncompliant Transport Unions and work with the Ghana Police MTTD to enforce the law – L.I. 2180.

Transport Operators were tasked to put in measures to halt crashes, injuries and deaths on our roads through; driver training, installation of speed limiters, encouraging the use of log books, implement the 2 drivers for journeys of more than 4 hours or 500km directive, and initiate in-house punitive measures.

The Ag. Director-General of the NRSA urged the media to support the NRSA anytime the need arose for the implementation and enforcement of sanctions placed on institutions, operators and offenders of the road law, and continue with the drive to support the education of road users.

Present at the meeting were the Ag. Director-General of the NRSA, Ing. David Osafo Adonteng, who chaired the meeting, the Deputy Director of the Planning and Programmes Directorate, Mr. Daniel Wuaku, Management and staff of the Authority. Also, the leadership of the Ghana Road Transport Coordinating Council, Intercity State Transport Company, Progressive Transport Owners Association, Ghana Haulage Transport Operators Association, Image Transport and 2M Express.

GALLERY