October 28 is Public Transport Day

Gomoa Assin Mampong (C/R), Oct. 27, GNA - Politicians, including ministers of State, are expected to park their private vehicles on Wednesday, 28th October, and use commercial vehicles in commemoration of the first ever public transport day celebration in Ghana.

The exercise would enable them know at first hand problems associated with the use of public transport as well as inform their decisions with regards to policy making in the transportation sector.

Mr Noble Appiah, Executive Director of the National Road Safety Commission (NRSC), said this at the launch of a road safely programme dubbed "Arrive Alive," which coincided with the 10th Anniversary of the NRSC and the Driver Vehicle and Licensing Authority (DVLA). The anniversary is on the theme: "Road Safety - A Shared and Collective Responsibility."

Mr Appiah said four ministries together with their departments and agencies would lead in the Public Transport Day programme and for them it was mandatory to use commercial vehicles on the day since they deal mostly with transportation and road safety issues.

The ministries are Transport, Roads and Highways, Health and Interior including departments and agencies like the NRSC and DVLA Mr Appiah said the ministries and their departments and agencies were directly involved with policy making in the transportation sector and since the drivers of commercial vehicles did not know them in person, the exercise would help them appreciate the hazards that the ordinary Ghanaian especially school children go through to move from one place to another. He reminded drivers that the NRSC had introduced a drivers' log book which would be used purposely to check over-speeding on the roads and urged them to sign the book any time they left the station and also when they reached their destination.

Mr Appiah called on the public to get involved in road safety issues to ensure maximum safety on the roads.

Obirifo Ahinako Ahor Ankobia II, Gomoa Akyempim Hene (Chief of Gomoa Akyempim) who chaired the function, called on government to import satellite technologies that could be used to check drivers' activities even when the police were not around.

He said most of the drivers' especially the commercial ones knew where the police were stationed and so behave well when nearing the police post. "Some of the policemen have also turned themselves into a toll bridge and collecting monies from the drivers so they do not even check the vehicles." Obirifo Ankobia II suggested that the DVLA include psychiatry test on drivers as a pre-requisite to possess a licence and revoke the licenses of recalcitrant drivers for about two years or more according to the offence committed.

He advised drivers to value their lives and be extra careful on the road to reduce the incidence of road accidents.