Road Safety Commission Bill goes to Parliament

Accra (Greater Accra), 26 Jan '99 -

A bill to up-grade the status of the National Road Safety Committee to the status of a Commission, to enable it effectively co-ordinate road safety work throughout the country was today laid before Parliament. Known as the National Road Safety Commission Bill, it seeks among other things to co-ordinate the efforts of the many different organisations, which are involved in the prevention and monitoring of road traffic accidents and other related road problems. A memorandum accompanying the bill said the diversity of the organisations involved in road safety activities in the country calls for the establishment of a permanent body which will co-ordinate the efforts of these organisations. "Statistics indicate that Ghana has a poor road safety record. A recent World Bank study of road accidents in the ECOWAS sub- region listed Ghana as the fourth country after Nigeria, Togo, and Benin with bad accident records". The Economic Commission for African (ECA) has recommended that African countries should establish statutory national road safety commissions as an institutional measure to combat road accidents. Nine African countries including Nigeria, Kenya, Libya, Morocco and Tanzania have already established theirs. The memo said in Ghana, an attempt was made to establish such a body in 1974. The body, National Road Safety Committee, plays an active role in road safety education, propaganda and co-ordination of other agencies' work for the improvement of road safety in the country. However, the committee was established administratively and has no statutory powers, hence the need to establish such a commission as recommended by ECA. This will give it clearly defined responsibilities with the object of reducing the high rate of accidents and deaths on roads. "The commission is a corporate body and its functions include, advising, co-ordination, educational and research functions". In addition, the commission is to conduct investigations into road safety issues and develop a long term road safety plan.