Government will support NRSC to carry out mandate - Veep

Accra, Nov. 17, GNA – Vice President John Dramani Mahama on Thursday expressed government's willingness to empower the National Road Safety Commission (NRSC) financially and logistically to carry out its mandate.

“Government is aware of the limitations of the NRSC in their bid to fight against the high rate of accident cases in the country and will therefore do everything to empower them to carry out their educational programmes to achieve goals”, he added.

Vice President Mahama said this during the second National Road Safety Awards under the theme, “Road Safety, A Shared and Collective Responsibility”, in Accra.

The Award was aimed at raising national consciousness on road safety and particularly, the road safety profile of Transport Organizations and Unions to compliment the broad framework of road safety management in Ghana.

Vice President Mahama said in 2009, the Government lost financial a value of 418 million dollars as a result of road transport accidents and called on all stakeholders to step up their educational programmes to reduce the menace.

He said government would also encourage Ministries, Departments and Agencies to intensify educational programmes in collaboration with Metropolitan, Municipal and District Assemblies throughout the country.

The Vice President gave the assurance that the Government would comply with the United Nations Decade of Action programme to reduce road accidents that were reducing productivity and impoverishing others in society.

“The current rate of 1,800 deaths through roads accidents is unacceptable and we need to educate more people to reduce the trend which is very alarming”, he stressed.

Mr. Collins Dauda, Minister of Transport said Ghana lost about 1679 lives through 10, 041road crashes from January to September,2011.

He said the new Road Traffic Regulation was almost ready for submission to Parliament to further boost sensitization and regulations of the Transport Industry.

“This will help provide quality assurance for consumers of road transport services”, he said.

He explained that the proposal was in line with government's commitment to welfare of the people and the desire not to compromise on the safety of patrons of public transport service.

Mr Dauda said the temporary regulatory mandate had been given to NRSC, pending the review of the mandate of NRSC to institute standards and regulatory mechanisms for the provision of road transport services.

“NRSC will be required to publish basic standards and demand compliance from providers”, he added.

Great Emperial Transport Services was adjudged the 2011 National Best Transport Organisation.

GNA