<<Print>>

Road crashes claimed 84 lives in the Brong Ahafo Region in the first quarter of 2014, according to statistics from the Regional National Road Safety Commission (NRSC). According to the statistics, the region recorded 322 accidents, involving 467 vehicles. Mensah Abrampah Agyabeng, the Brong Ahafo Regional Manager of the National Road Safety Commission, made this revelation during the launch of a programme in Sunyani dubbed �Passenger Empowerment� by the National Road Safety Commission (NRSC), under the theme �Passengers Be Alert Speak Out, Don�t Be Killed on the roads�, to help reduce carnage on the roads in the region. Mr Agyabeng noted that the rate at which road crashes are claiming lives is unacceptable and calls on stakeholders to help reduce accidents in the region. �The erection of illegal speed rumps was identified as a major cause of road crashes in the region. Apart from this fatigue driving, drunk driving and the use of mobile phone were all identified as causes of road crashes in the Brong Ahafo Region,� he said. He noted that every Ghanaian has a role to play to reduce road crashes. Deputy Brong Ahafo Regional Minister, Samuel Justice Adjei, addressing the ceremony, called on all stakeholders to help the NRSC to reduce road carnages to the barest minimum in the region. He noted that the road crashes are on the increase because most drivers do not adhere to road traffic regulations. He admonished radio stations in the region to collaborate with NRSC to intensify its education by allocating at least 45 minutes to the Commission for its work. Brong Ahafo Regional Motor Traffic and Transport Department(MTTD), Commander of the Ghana Police Service, Supt. Daniel Oppong Asirifi revealed that interference from some prominent personalities in the region is affecting the implementation of the road traffic regulations because when they arrest people who flout road regulations, these people call his outfit to free such culprits. Supt. Asirifi disclosed that his outfit conducted checks in the municipality and noticed that out of the 100 drivers they checked, 37 were not having license. He said they would continue to intensify their operations to flush out unlicensed drivers. The launching was attended by the police, Metro Mass Transit Limited, Metro Traffic and Transport Department of the Ghana Police Service, Ghana Private Road Transport Union, and other transport unions.