Road Safety Commission’s Demand To Be An Authority 'Nonsensical'

A member of Occupy Ghana, Mr. Kwaku Segbefia has described as 'nonsensical' Road Safety Commission’s demand to be an Authority.

He says even as a Commission, they are refusing to do the basic things that will help reduce road carnage.

Speaking on Okay FM’s 'Ade Akye Abia' programme, he explained that the Commission should be committed to their basic responsibilities which will help reduce road accidents.

According to him the Road Safety Commission has refused to provide enough education and exercise more practical activities that will spare the country of accidents.

"Instead, they are fighting to be upgraded to a Commission that is not necessary. They should focus on their core mandate of helping to reduce the various road accidents," he said.

The National Road Safety Commission wants a change in its law to deal with indiscipline following a devastating carnage on an important highway which left at least 62 dead.

Chief Executive of the Commission, Mrs May Obiri-Yeboah explained all its current powers remain persuasive as it was set up to carry out road safety education and advocacy.

“If we don’t have the teeth to bite then we will continue with the education,” she said.

That teeth is a legal transition from a Commission to an Authority, a status that comes with greater autonomy and its attendant bigger budgets.

“If we were given an Authority status . . . we can enforce the standards of road safety,” Mrs May Obiri-Yeboah said.

For three years straight since 2016, road fatalities have increased from 2,084 to 2,341, according to the Motor Transport and Traffic Directorate.

The MTTD has reported an average of 2,059 death by road accidents since 2011.

But the latest on the Kintampo-Techiman highway in the Bono East region last week Friday has triggered another national cry over lackadaisical attitudes of road users and state regulators.