Political Interference Affecting Road Safety Campaigns In U. East

Interference from politicians and Opinion leaders is one of the major obstacles hindering the efforts at curbing the spate of road accidents in the Upper East Region. This came to light when stakeholders held a meeting organized by the National Road Safety Commission in Bolgatanga, aimed at strategizing to curb the spate of road accidents in the area, a greater number of them being motorcycle accidents. The stakeholders pointed out that there were many instances where political leaders and opinion leaders interfered by pleading with the security agencies to release motorbikes which had been seized from traffic offenders. They noted that because of the attitude of politicians and opinion leaders, the security agencies found it difficult to ensure that rules regarding road use were adhered to. They therefore appealed to opinion leaders to rather rally behind them so that they would effectively enforce traffic laws on roads to save lives. As part of strategies to address the problem, a joint operation team has been constituted including the Police, Customs Excise and Preventive Service (CEPS), District and Municipal Assemblies, Insurance Companies, Transport Unions, the Ghana Red Cross Society, and the Media to make sure that motor riders in the region comply with road traffic rules and regulations. It would ensure that motor riders wear crash helmets, possess relevant documents including license, insurance policies and roadworthy certificates. Participants also expressed concern about people who drive whilst receiving or making calls on their mobile phones. They noted that the practice was a serious traffic offence and that those caught in it should not be spared. They deplored the rampant springing up of signboards in the Region and said it was one of the causes of road accidents since most of them were not mounted at the wrong places and could obstruct vision. Mr. Alexander Ayata, Regional Manager of the Road Safety Commission, stated that stakeholders would embark on sensitization programmes using the media whilst the joint operation team, especially the security agencies, would do a swooping exercise to collect motorbikes from people who flout the road traffic regulations. Mr. Ayata indicated that for the past six months this year, about 36 deaths had been reported in the region, majority of them being accidents from motor bicycle riders. He appealed to all stakeholders to get actively involved in the exercise. He indicated that arrangements would be made to sensitize arrested traffic offenders on the need to obey road safety rules and regulations.