Churches urged to devote part of sermon to Road Safety issues

Koforidua, Nov. 15, GNA-Superintendent James Sarfo Peprah, Eastern Regional Commander of the Motor Transport and Traffic Unit (MTTU), has appealed to churches to devote part of their sermon to educate their congregation on Road Safety issues.

He said road safety management was a shared responsibility therefore churches should also contribute by always talking about the subject to their congregation.

Supt. Peprah was speaking at the second Eastern Regional Transport Union and Organization awards ceremony, which climaxes the Road Safety week celebration in the area.

He said for a long time now road safety had been the preserve of only the police MTTU but added that the issue needed the collaboration of all stakeholders to help manage it.

He observed that by the end of October this year, 221 lives were lost through road accidents in the Region.

Supt. Peprah advised passengers to always speak out when a driver was over-speeding which could lead to an accident.

Mr Kwasi Yirenkyi, the Regional Manager of the Road Safety Commission, observed that the Region was one of the leading accident prone areas in the country.

He said the Commission would intensify public education, enforce laws and help operators to build the appropriate management systems on road safety to help reduce the spate of road accidents.

Mr Yirenkyi appealed to drivers to guard against acts such as over-speeding, wrong overtaking and to be courteous to other road users.

Mr Ebenezer Okletey Terlabi, Deputy Eastern Regional Minister, on his part asked the MTTU to check vehicles with worn-out tyres.

He also urged transport unions to give their drivers education on road safety and make sure they encourage them to visit the hospital regularly.

The Progressive Transport Organization (PROTOA) got the first prize while the second prize went to the Metro Mass Transit. The third prize went to the Ghana Private Road Transport Union (GPRTU) and the fourth to the Cooperative Union.

GNA