Member of Parliament for Ledzokuku, Dr. Bernard Okoe Boye, has indicated that the major cause of accidents on the highways and other asphalted roads in the country is indiscipline among drivers.
Giving a presentation on a theme “Avoidable Road Traffic Accident, the Role of the Citizen Versus the Duties of the State”, he pointed out that most of the lives lost could have been saved if citizens had resorted to discipline on the road, vis-à-vis avoidance of over speeding.
Mr. Okoe Boye again informed the House that some of the deaths were as a result of absence of some vital accessories needed on the road to prevent pedestrians from endangering their lives.
Referring to the gory accident that occurred over the weekend, Mr. Okoe Boye stated that six people lost their lives instantly when a Sprinter Bus travelling on the Accra-Cape Coast road burst a tyre while overtaking a number of vehicles.
“On the Accra-Cape road, it is written all over the stretch that ‘over speeding kills’. Despite the warning, people die daily from the recklessness of some drivers. The time has come for this country to aggressively start prosecuting drivers engaging in dangerous driving”, he disclosed.
He thereafter, recommended to the House that a scheme should be put in place to announce and publicise the names and images of the most dangerous drivers of the month for all the capital cities.
Hon. Ayii Laadi Ayamba’s submission
Member of Parliament for Pusiga, Ms. Ayii Ayamba Laadi, in her submission on the statement presented at the Plenary, stated that most of the accidents are caused by uncompleted road projects.
She pointed out that the uncompleted footbridges at the Madina-Adentan stretch is a major contributory factor to the death tolls on the road.
She again informed the House that measures must be put in place to support hospitals and that, the various medical centres should be well equipped to accommodate and treat accident victims in order to reduce death tolls.
On her concern about the number of ambulances in the country, Ms. Laadi Ayamba said that the issue of inadequate ambulances in the country is very critical and must be a cause for worry.
Ms. Laadi Ayamba, speaking on the duty of the police in preventing accident, stated that the police must be vigilant in controlling road traffic to avert accidents.
“The police must also discharge their duties effectively. Sometimes, the police are absent-minded when standing by in controlling traffic. Commercial drivers therefore take advantage and breach the road regulations and rules”, she concluded.
Transport Minister to appear at Plenary
The Minister for Transport, Mr. Kwaku Ofori Asiamah, has been summoned to appear at the Plenary to brief the House on the recent developments on the gory accidents at the Kasoa-Winneba and Adentan-Madina roads, claiming the lives of some individuals.
The House presided over by the First Deputy Speaker of Parliament, Hon. Joseph Osei Owusu gave a ruling of two weeks ultimatum for the minister to appear before the House pursuant to Order 70(2) of the Standing Orders of Parliament.
Source: GhanaJustice/S.Ayisi
