Parliament blames police, poor regulations for accidents

Accra, May 23, GNA - Parliament on Wednesday laid the blame of rampant road accidents on the doorstep of police personnel detailed to mount road blocks and non adherence to simple road regulations. They called for the re-orientation and retraining of police personnel to ensure that they do not end up just extorting money from drivers, but do work to provide the required protection for innocent travellers, bystanders and pedestrians.

The parliamentarians were contributing to a statement by Dr Paa Kwesi Nduom, Minister of Public Sector Reform on the recent road disasters on the Accra-Yamoranza highway.

The statement enjoyed bi-partisan support, reflecting the grave situation of accidents on Ghana's roads which is reported to be the second highest killer after malaria.

Dr. Nduom noted that the disaster, which caused so many lives, was preventable stressing that even though the new road is safer than the old one, indiscipline by users on one hand and inaction on the part of the Ghana Police has made it worse than before.

"In between," he explained, " the district assemblies in these areas where accidents are prone do not seem concerned with the safety of travellers, but with collecting taxes from drivers and traders who ply their trade near the highway."

He noted that the country needed some changes and they must be made quickly and urged the House and government to move towards implementation of stringent rules to save lives and property. Dr Nduom suggested that the shoulders of the Accra-Yamoransa road have been cleared and the available space must be cleared, but is not wide enough, albeit taken by traders.

"It is not too late for the Ministry of Transportation to create rest stops that are away from the highway. When this is done, it will allow vehicles in distress to drive to safety."

He condemned the high rate of indiscipline on the part of drivers and traders on the road and insisted that the Police and the district assemblies stop traders from selling on the shoulders of the highway as pertains now at Kasoa, Winneba, Apam and Mankessim, among others. He called for the equipping of police to step up patrols on the highways instead of roadblocks to restrict reckless driving. Dr. Nduom urged the Driver Vehicle Licensing Authority (DVLA) to step up its activities to ensure that only qualified persons acquire driver's licences, adding that commercial drivers must be tested in person before they are granted licences to drive.

Mr. Lee Ocran, NDC-Jomoro said people who come from the area are getting increasingly worried because of the rate of accidents and called for a halt to reckless driving on the highway.

He called on the Committee on Transportation to take the matter up and advice the Minister on it.

Mr Ocran called for a complete shift of having highways away from towns and villages as is the case in most advanced states with properly designated rest stops also away from the highways. Mr Stephen Asamoah-Boateng, NPP-Mfantseman West supported strict adherence to road regulations and called for the police to do a better job than they are doing.

"The police should be able to ensure that our drivers stick to the regulations and speed limits."

The MP for Wa Central, Mr Abdul-Rashid Pelpuo said the situation was not only restricted to the southern parts of the country, but the entire country and called for a holistic solution to the matter. He regretted that even though roads have improved, the totals number of deaths has gone up.

Mr. Amadu Seidu, NDC- Yapei Kusawgu called for a ban on the tipping of gravels and sand on the side of the road by private developers, saying it was a major source of accidents.

Mr Isaac Edmadzie, NPP- Ajumako-Enyan-Essiam called for a critical look at work done by road contractors as some of them in the end turn out to be death traps.

He also urged the Ministry of Transportation to mount adequate directional signs to inform road users, especially foreigners. Mr Edwrad Doe-Adjaho, NDC-Ave Avenor asked the Minister of Public Sector Reform to come out with proposals for reforming current road regulations, arguing that since he was part of the executive, "it is not too late for the Minister to come out with something that takes us beyond making a statement on the floor or Parliament."