Churches urged to join crusade on road safety

Takoradi, Sept. 2, GNA - The Western Regional branch of the National Road Safety Commission (NRSC) has called for urgent collaborative measures by all sectors of the society. This, the Commission said, include the various religious organisations to check the alarming spate of accidents on the roads. Mr Thomas Bismark Boakye, Regional Coordinator of the Commission said, as part of the efforts to ensure safety on the roads, leaders of the various Churches should make road safety part of their sermons during worship.

"If they can allot only five minutes to talk about road safety to their congregations, half of the battle would have been won". He was reacting to the recent spate of accidents in some parts of the country in which many people including three prominent doctors were killed, at a press conference in Takoradi on Friday.

Mr Boakye reminded motorists and the travelling public, particularly in the Western and Central regions to be extra careful and strictly observe safety measures to save lives and property.

Many communities in these regions, he said, celebrate their annual festivals between July and October and drivers are tempted to overload and over-speed to make extra money, resulting in fatal accidents. Mr Boakye said in spite of constraints, the Commission is doing its best by sensitising the public through meetings, rallies and other for a, including radio talks for motorists to observe road signs and regulations always.

"These had not been strictly observed by some recalcitrant drivers, thereby causing fatal accidents", he said, adding, "it is time for all to join the crusade, because road safety is the responsibility of all". Mr Boakye said the Commission had so far trained more than 8,000 teachers nationwide on road safety education but this had not made the desired impact on safety on the roads.

He commended the media for the tremendous role it is playing to help the Commission to curb road accidents.

Mr Boakye noted that most accidents were caused by the use of imported second hand lorry tyres, and said such tyres were manufactured for a particular climatic condition and therefore, not good for our roads.

Deputy Superintendent of Police, Victor Adusa-Poku, Regional Commander of MTTU said between January and August 2005, the region recorded 623 accidents in which 70 people lost their lives and 725 receiving various degrees of injuries.

He urged passengers to help curb the spate of accidents by reporting to the police, incidents of dangerous driving or misbehaviour by drivers.

Mr Adusa-Poku announced that soon the police would begin to impound unlicensed motorcycles in the Sekondi-Takoradi metropolis. Private cars would under go strict checks just like other vehicles, he said.

He appealed to the media to support the efforts of the police to eradicate crime and other vices in the society.