Ghana To Witness More Accidents This Year – GPRTU Chairman Reveals
Chairman of the Ghana Private Road Transport Union (GPRTU), Sofoline Branch, Mr. Albert Boamah is concerned that Ghana would have more road accidents and fatalities in 2022.
According to the National Road Safety Authority, 2,100 people died between January and September 2021, up from 2,080 in December 2020.
In 2021, the overall number of road accidents and deaths increased when compared to 2020 and previous years.
On the Road Safety Campaign Show hosted by Osei Kwadwo on social media, Mr. Albert Boamah criticised the Driver and Vehicle Licensing Authority Authority (DVLA) for not demanding learning certificates from drivers before granting and renewing their licenses.
According to him, under the road traffic regulations act, a driver’s license can only be renewed or upgraded if the motorist has completed two years of training and acquired a certificate.
“Since DVLA authorities are not enforcing that law, it is difficult for drivers especially commercial drivers to join driving training to learn road safety regulations because whether they join the training or not, DVLA will renew or upgrade their license for them without demanding the certificate”.
He echoed that one mistake that the current Police IGP has done was the removal of Police Officers from the roads. According to him, he is yet to know what enforced such a decision from the Police IGP since this action will be tantamount to a lot of indiscipline on the part of drivers on the roads.
“I don’t know who advised the Inspector General of Police Dr. Akuffo Dampare to remove police officers from our major roads”
“The absence of Police officers on our roads will give some recalcitrant drivers to misbehave on the road which can lead to more accidents and deaths.”
“In my own view, I think Dr. Akuffo Dampare should tell his men to enforce the road safety regulations act when they are on the road and stop accepting bribes from drivers than removing them from roads”, he concluded.
Source: Opemsuo.com/ Emmanuel Owusu Anti
