By Isaac Newton Tetteh
Tema, Oct. 11, GNA – M.r Joseph Kwesi Gbeze, Presiding Member for the Kpone-Katamanso Municipal Assembly has called on drivers of public and statutory institutions to desist from the practice of violating road safety regulations.
He said drivers of public institutions must not use their institutional identity to flout road traffic regulations as the law does not cover their illegal activities.
Mr Gbeze was speaking at the Ghana News Agency Tema Regional Office and the Tema Regional Motor Transport and Traffic Department (MTTD) of the Ghana Police Service road safety campaign.
The GNA-Tema and MTTD-Tema Regional Office Road Safety Campaign seeks to actively create consistent awareness advocacy on road safety, educate all road users of their respective responsibilities, and sensitise drivers especially of the tenets of road safety regulations, rules, and laws.
Mr Gbeze was speaking on Speaking on the role of the Metropolitan, Municipal, and District Assemblies in enforcing road safety regulations within their jurisdiction,
Mr. Gbeze called on the Assemblies particularly the Chief Executives and their respective MTTD Commanders must have regular interaction.
He said such drivers are expected to set a high professional standard on the road. “As an official vehicle driver, you must ensure that you follow the rules and regulations.
“It was unfortunate to hear or see public drivers drive on the shoulders or inner road when traffic builds up, such unprofessional behaviour is against the law. Instead of being good ambassadors on the road”
He said as part of measures to reduce road crashes in the Kpone-Katamanso Municipality, the Chief Executive, and the Commander of the Tema Regional MTTD as well as the Municipal MTTD Commander consistently meet and adopt a common strategy for enforcement of discipline on the roads.
Mr Gbeze charged assembly members to initiate systematic public education with the local drivers’ union especially the Ghana Private Road Transport Unions (GPRTU) to instill a sense of road safety responsibility in them.
Mr Francis Ameyibor, GNA Tema Regional Manager explained that the essence of the “GNA-Tema and MTTD Road safety campaign,” was to use the power of the media to support and educate the public on the negative impact of road accidents.
He said as part of the initiative strategic individuals and institutions would be offered the opportunity to send road safety messages to their constituents to raise awareness.
Mr Ameyibor called on state and non-state institutions to consistently organize or send their drivers to undertake refresher courses in driving; “Ironically management of institutions regularly organizes refresher courses for their staff but forget that their drivers also need the education to understand road safety regulations.
“Your life is always in the hands of a driver anytime you sit in a car; we must therefore ensure that these drivers are psychologically tune-up for the task.”
The GNA Tema Regional Manager also advised the passengers to serve as the first line of check on the driver; gently drawing the attention of speeding drivers to the need to slow down.
GNA