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The Director of Planning at the National Road Safety Commission (NRSC), Mr. David Osafo Adonteng, has downplayed attempts by most Ghanaians to blame road accidents on the orchestrations of witches or the devil.

He indicated that drivers and other road users who did not heed to road regulations were the “devils” who cause the preventable accidents on the roads.

Mr. Adonteng was addressing personnel of the Motor Traffic and Transport Department (MTTD), and transport unions during a seminar to educate them to ensure road safety during the yuletide.

He said the effects of accidents on the family and the nation as a whole was great, and called on all stakeholders, especially the MTTD, to be on guard to ensure accident-free yuletide.

“Recalcitrant drivers think they can ‘sort’ out the police when they flout the road laws, admonishing the police to avoid such inducements.

He also called on the media to adequately inform the general public on the need to ensure road safety.

Ms Mavis Ama Frimpong, the Deputy Eastern Regional Minister and Regional Road Safety Ambassador, acknowledged that deaths on the roads were high due to highway robbery, and urged the police to intensify surveillance to help clamp down on robbery.

She said since 90% of Ghana’s transportation is mainly by road, there is the need for stakeholders to work together to ensure safety on the roads.

Ms Ama Frimpong however applauded the Eastern Regional Police Command, for arresting culprits of the recent highway robbery near Bunsu, and urged them to keep up the hard work.

Some members of the transport unions in the region hailed authorities for introducing the pedestrian law, saying, most pedestrians were nonchalant about the traffic regulations which mostly resulted in avoidable pedestrian knock-downs.