Urban roads, police faceoff over pedestrians refusal to use footbridge

The Ashanti Regional office of the Urban Roads Department is asking police to arrest pedestrians who refuse to use the Tech junction foot bridge.

The bridge was constructed some two years ago to ease vehicular traffic and to secure the safety of pedestrians crossing the dual carriage to enter the Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology (KNUST) campus from the Ayigya community.

Several people however still choose the perilous option of walking across the street, a situation which has resulted in at least five deaths recorded through vehicular knock-downs.

The Ultimate Breakfast Show transmitted live from the bridge with its maiden edition of its flagship programme “Community Voice” hosted by Lantam Papanko.

The regional director of the urban roads department Theodore Quaye suggested that even though his outfit will soon extend a fence to stop the practice, the police will have to enforce the law.

He cited the Road traffic regulations 2012 LI 154 section three which states “A pedestrian who fails to use the foot bridge or underpass where one is provided commits an offense. A person who contravenes this regulation is liable to a summary conviction, a fine not more than five penalty units or a term of imprisonment not more than seven days or both.”

But the District commander of the KNUST police station DSP Boakye Ansah, who also appeared on the Community Voice, contended that arrests can only begin when the pedestrians were adequately educated about the legal implications of failure to use the foot bridge.

“If you can conduct a survey, how many people are aware that if you fail to use the footbridge you have committed an offense? And how will you feel if you arrest somebody who truly is not aware even though ignorance of the law is not an excuse,” he questioned.

The deputy Ashanti regional director of the National Road Safety Commission (NRSC) Simbiat Wiredu who shared a different opinion noted that “in Ghana, if you leave everything to education most people will not do what they are supposed to do.”

She absolved her outfit of blame outlining several training models and outlets the NRSC had used to create public awareness of the use of the footbridge albeit with little success.