Member of Parliament (MP) for Kintampo South, Mrs. Felicia Adjei, has stated that the government through the Ministry of Roads and Highways as a matter of urgency, should extend inter-regional roads and highways into dual-carriage lanes.
Mrs. Adjei indicated that the recent carnages on the highways can be attributed to head-on collusion, and that commercial drivers sometimes find difficulty in identifying cars approaching them.
Presenting a statement at the Plenary on the recent gory accident that happened on the Kintampo-Techiman road which claimed over fifty lives, Mrs. Adjei pointed out that there are slow responses in the emergency services of the country.
She suggested that the government through the various agencies such as the Ghana Police Service, National Road Safety Commission, Ghana National Fire Service and the Ministry of Roads and Highways must collaborate and make the roads much safer for the travelling public.
The Kintampo South MP further suggested that the Motor Traffic and Transport Department (MTTD) of the Ghana Police Service must pay more attention to the highways, by ensuring that drivers are well checked, to ensure the safety of the travelling public.
“The government should establish a Fire Service Station in between Kintampo and Techiman as well as a Trauma Centre, to give quick emergency services to accident victims. The government again, as a matter of urgency should identify the families of the perished victims and dually support such families to recover from the loss”, she stated.
She informed the House that the National Road Safety Commission (NRSC) must ensure that enough signages are placed on strategic and dangerous portions of the Kintampo-Techiman road, to caution drivers about the nature of the road, for safety.
Mrs. Adjei concluded that out of the fifty-seven individuals who died in the accident involving two buses with registration numbers GT3915-17 and GT5694-18, thirty-five of the victims were burnt beyond recognition.
Hon. Agbodza’s response
Member of Parliament for Adaklu and the Ranking Member of the Parliamentary Select Committee on Roads and Transport, Mr. Governs Kwame Agbodza, informed the Plenary that road traffic regulations are not yielding any results due to indiscipline by some drivers.
In contributing to the statement, Mr. Agbodza explained that road crashes and carnages are getting into a crisis level, and that the old method of controlling traffic should be changed.
Mr. Agbodza recommended that a cutting-edge technology should be employed, to ensure effective implementation of road traffic regulations.
He again suggested that a tracking technology should be employed by commercial drivers, to mitigate carnage on the highways.
On motor insurance, Mr. Agbodza averred that claims from vehicular insurances are not enough to adequately cater for accident victims.
He concluded that an integrated data platform should be used to ensure true owners of commercial vehicles, for safety.
Source: GhanaJustice/S.Ayisi
