Drivers to be tested for epilepsy

The Driver and Vehicular Licensing Authority (DVLA), together with other partners, is to introduce an epilepsy testing pilot project under which commercial drivers and new driver licence applicants would be screened for the condition.

Mr Mike Hammah, Minister of Road and Transport, who disclosed this on Tuesday when his sector took its turn at the "Meet the Press Series" organized by the Ministry of Information in Accra said it formed part of measures to reduce to road accidents.

He said government was to set up a National Drivers Academy to promote driver education and training as well as to strengthen road safety measures.

According to him, about 90 percent of road accidents were caused by "flagrant disregard of road safety regulations by drivers and other road users," and added that education and enforcement of road safety measures needed to be stepped up to address the current situation.

Mr Hammah said: 'if pilots were being trained to fly planes safely, commercial and private drivers needed to be properly trained as well in order to ensure safety of passengers and other road users'. He said 41 percent of vehicles in the country were unregistered and called for strict compliance of road safety regulations to ensure discipline on the roads.

The Transport Minister said through a Private Sector Vehicle Renewal Project initiated by government, old vehicles and those that would not pass the test for road worthiness, such as most 207 Benz buses, would be taken off the road to enhance road safety. He said the DVLA in partnership with the West African Examination Council would soon introduce a credible theory test for driver licence applicants.

Mr Hammah announced government's intention to mainstream road safety into the academic curricula of basic schools in order to instil road safety consciousness in pupils at early stages in their lives. Speaking on air transport, he gave the assurance that government would take the necessary steps to ensure that Ghana became the aviation hub of the West African sub-region.

He said there was the need to restore the country to the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) Category 1 status to effectively meet its civil aviation demands.

Mr Hammah called for a review of the air transport liberalization policy as well as negotiations on new bilateral air services agreement in order for Ghana to meet its dreams of becoming an aviation hub in the sub-region. He said the Tamale Airport needed to be upgraded to serve as the country's alternative International airport.