By Stanley Senya
Accra, March. 07, GNA – The Ministry of Transport (MoT) has organised a safety health walk to encourage good health, road safety, and build good social networks with agencies under the Ministry.
The walk, which was held at the University of Ghana over the weekend, saw the participation of the National Road Safety Authority (NRSA), Driver and Vehicle Licensing Authority (DVLA), Intercity STC Coaches Limited and the Government Technical Training Centre.
The walk involved an extensive aerobic exercise and social activities.
Mr Nathaniel Amonoo Wilson, Director of Human Resources Management Directorate at the MoT, in an interview with the Ghana News Agency, said the Transport Ministry was working to make road safety paramount in Ghana to meet international standards.
He said the Ministry had policies set up to enhance cooperation between its agencies, adding “And this walk is also a step to strengthen cooperation by networking with each other.”
He said the nation had recorded various road crashes, resulting in the loss of many lives.
He said the rise in such road crashes was often attributed to recklessness and negligence on the part of some drivers, passengers, and pedestrians.
However, Mr Wilson advised pedestrians and drivers to let safety be paramount in their daily activities.
They should ensure that they do not drive tired, not to drink and drive, and also respect the road signs to prevent road crashes.
He said drivers should read more on road safety and implement it in their daily lives.
He said the Ministry would continue in its efforts to reduce road crashes, saying “we have rolled out various vehicle inspection programmes through our road readiness project, to identify and eliminate all vehicles that are technically unfit to ply our roads.”
Kwame Kodua Atuahene, Director of Regulatory Inspectorate and Compliance at the National Road Safety Authority (NRSA), said the walk was also to sensitise the public on road safety and keep fit.
He said the Authority would continue its partnership with the MoT to combat road accidents, especially during health walks.
He said drivers should drive defensively to protect themselves and pedestrians from accidents.
He encouraged all organisers of health walks to always seek the protection of the Ghana Police Service to ensure safety and security.
“Always wear reflectors or reflective attires to health walks to enable drivers see you from a distance to prevent any accident,” he advised.
At the end, the different agencies under the Transport Ministry agreed to work together, socialise, and prompt each other to help the wellbeing of the public.
GNA