West Africa to use similar vehicle number plates

Vehicles in the West Africa sub-region would soon be using similar number plates and have one data base in all member countries.

The Executive Director of National Road Safety Commission, Mrs May Obiri Yeboah, disclosed this in Koforidua as the Commission joined other West African counterparts to observe the eighth anniversary of the West African Road Safety Organisation (WARSO).

According to her, the idea of using similar number plates and same database, formed part of steps being taken by the WARSO and Economic Community of West Africa States (ECOWAS) to ensure safety on roads and check insecurity.

The theme for the anniversary was: "Empowering drivers and passengers to be safe on the road."

Mrs Obiri-Yeboah called on Ghanaians to be part of the campaign in reducing pedestrian knockdown in the country.

She said the Commission is working in collaboration with the Ghana Education Service to make road safety education a subject in the curricula.

She expressed joy about the steady improvements in the number of fatalities recorded in the country.

The percentage of pedestrian fatalities have reduced from 42 per cent of total deaths recorded on the road to 38 per cent in 2014,

Led by Mrs Obiri-Yeboah and Mr Kwasi Yirenkyi, the Eastern Regional Director, the Commission presented assorted items, including toiletries and other provisions to the accident unit of the Koforidua Regional Hospital as part of the anniversary.