Police embark on national seat belt campaign

Accra, April 5, GNA- Thirty (30) senior police personnel of the Ghana Police Service, at the weekend, embarked on a maiden exercise, to promote the use of set belts by drivers and passengers, as part of a national road safety campaign.

The five-hour exercise, carried out by personnel with the rank of Superintendents and Assistant Commissioners, took place at the Kwame Nkrumah Circle and on the main Accra-Kasoa road. The personnel distributed more than 3,000 flyers containing messages such as: "Belt up," "Stay alive," "One click could change your future," and "It cost nothing to wear belt, but it can cost your life if you don't," to the public.

The exercise was followed by a symposium at the Police Headquarters, in Accra, to discuss challenges facing the service. Mr Kofi Quantson, a retired Commissioner of Police, who spoke on "Contemporary issues facing the Ghana Police Service, Thoughts of a Retired Officer," commended the senior police officers for the initiative to educate the public about the use of safety belts and urged other officers of the service to emulate the good example. "This initiative begins the process of redeeming the image of the service," he said.

Dr Doris Dartey, a communications consultant, who spoke on "Creating a favourable image for the Ghana Police Service, Are there any fault lines?" noted that the current image of the service is below the desired status and urged the personnel to eschew all negative behaviours that tend to deepen the 'cracks'. The campaign was undertaken by the Association of the 34th intake of the Ghana Police College, which comprises 90 senior officers, made up of Divisional, District, Unit Commanders and Doctors at the Police Hospital, in Accra.