Greater Accra records more road traffic offences

Accra, March 17, GNA- The Police Motor Traffic and Transport Unit (MTTU) last year recorded 15,000 road traffic offences countrywide, with Greater-Accra alone recording the highest of 9,000 thousand.

Mr Solomon Kwabena Ntim, Deputy Superintendent of Police (DSP), MTTU, who said this at a two-day seminar in Accra said the figure, was "too high for a country with only 620,000 vehicle-population."

The "Road Safety and Maintenance Equipment Seminar and Exhibition" being attended by 40 participants from Cote D'Ivoire, France, Moscow and Ghana would discuss the benefit in using quality and cost effective road maintenance materials.

An exhibition of new improved road furniture including reflectors, road signs, information boards, markings and traffic signals have been mounted at the seminar, being organised by CREDORS Ghana Limited, a local-based producers and importers of road safety equipment.

DSP Ntim said the introduction of such quality road equipment was a welcomed idea since it would help in reducing the high accident rate, adding that, the new equipment should be tested and certified by the Ghana Standard Boards (GSB) to ensure its durability.

He said when road offenders were apprehended and found guilty by the courts, they are liable to imprisonment between three months and two years, stressing, "we have widened our net and will not spare any culprits".

Mr Noel Acter-Tettey, the Public Relations Officer of the Ghana Road Safety Commission (GRSC) emphasised the need to use quality road furniture that would last longer and "not fade within few months making us to loose so much money in that sector".

He said GRSC had designed a comprehensive strategy document to address the issue of road safety, adding, "we are already implementing it with our television and radio safety education programmes". Mr Humphrey Quaye, Chief Executive Officer of CREDORS said his company was in collaboration with the Road Research Institution and the GSB to produce locally, cost effective and better road safety equipment. This, he said, would help cut down cost on road maintenance for both the government and road contractors.