Move To Check Road Accidents - Ministry To Install Speed Cameras, Speed Limiters

The Ministry of Transport is to introduce a number of measures to deal with the problem of road traffic accidents in the country, including the operation of speed cameras and the installation of speed limiters in commercial vehicles with gross vehicle weight of 3.5 tonnes and above.

More than 10,000 road traffic accidents were recorded between January and September this year, killing 1,679 people and injuring 9,980 people. The accidents involved 14,400 vehicles.

Compared to the same period in 2010, road traffic accidents increased marginally by 0.44 per cent, but in terms of persons killed and injured, it significantly rose by 26 per cent and 14 per cent, respectively.

Addressing the meet-the-press series in Accra Tuesday, the Minister of Transport, Alhaji Collins Dauda, said the situation was worrying and required resolute measures to deal with.

In addition to the measures outlined, he said the National Road Safety Commission (NRSC) had developed a third national road safety strategy and action plan to reduce road traffic crash fatalities by 50 per cent by 2020.

As a speed management strategy, Alhaji Dauda said the teaching of road safety education in the formal academic curriculum of basic schools and a review of the NRSC Act, Act 567, 1999, to strengthen its capacity in road safety management in the country, among other things, would be pursued.

The NRSC and the Driver and Vehicle Licensing Authority (DVLA) had been tasked to supervise the implementation of the directive, while 420,000 posters, stickers and leaflets had been produced and distributed for publicity and road safety campaigns, he said.

To deal with traffic congestion in Accra, he said, the government had released GH¢450,000 to undertake a feasibility study to introduce an urban tram system in the city of Accra to address the problem.

The minister, who outlined a variety of programmes to be undertaken by the government, noted that as part of its programme, financial arrangements for the Tamale Airport would be finalised and the design and construction of the airport would commence.

Alhaji Dauda said under the 2012 budget, the government had provided GH¢10 million to undertake rehabilitation works on the Kumasi and Sunyani airport runways, and that the rehabilitation had become necessary because of the present level of deterioration and the increase in traffic.

To enhance the landside activities at the KIA, he said, six projects had been planned to take off in 2012 under public-private-partnership arrangements.

The projects are the airport business centre, a new office block for freight forwarders, a new airline office complex, warehousing facilities, maintenance, repair and operate services, as well as multi-storey car parks.

The Volta Lake Transport Company, he said, would pursue the Volta Lake Development Project under the CDB credit facility with the expansion of the Akosombo and Buipe terminals, as well as the procurement of ferries and pontoons and also the provision of landing sites at various locations along the lake.

Alhaji Dauda said in respect of the PSC Tema Shipyard and Dry Dock Company, the Ghana Ports and Harbours Authority would buy off the 60 per cent share value of the company and manage it until the government took a decision on the partnership with the private sector.

Also, he said, the Ghana Railway Development Authority would pursue a number of projects, including the completion of the railway master plan for the country, construction of the western railway line under the CDB credit facility, completion of the railway extension from the Tema Port to Tema Community One, rehabilitation of the existing sub-urban railway lines at Takoradi-Kojokrom-Sekondi,

Ejisu-Kumasi and Accra to Nsawam.
On the operations of the DVLA, he said the authority would launch its automation services which would allow the public to apply for DVLA services online, adding that “this will enhance the authority’s efficiency and decongest its premises”.

He indicated that nine more private investors had been authorised to start the construction of vehicle testing stations to complement the DVLA’s vehicle testing and inspection to enhance efficiency.

Alhaji Dauda said the Metro Mass Transit Company would continue to provide public mass transport by extending its services to more districts and rural communities with the delivery of 150 buses and the setting up of terminal facilities at Kaneshie, Techiman, Aflao and Kasoa.