MTTD receives gadgets to ensure safety on roads
Ghana’s fight against road accidents was given another boost with the presentation of road safety gadgets worth GH¢200,000 to the Motor Traffic and Transport Department (MTTD) of the Ghana Police Service.
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The National Road Safety Commission (NRSC) last Thursday presented the items to help the police enforce road traffic regulations to reduce road accidents, especially during the yuletide season.
The gadgets include 1,000 reflective vests, 200 magic lights, 200 white hand gloves, 100 body bags, 100 raincoats, 40 measuring wheels and 10 height gauges.
The equipment were funded by the Ghana Road Fund, the main financier of NRSC’s activities. Earlier in the year, the fund supported the training of MTTD personnel with GH¢100,000.
The commission, in September this year, made similar presentation of two speed guns and six breathalysers to the MTTD.
At a press conference in Accra, the Executive Director of the commission, Mrs May Obiri-Yeboah, also hi
Accident rate
According to the NRSC, from January to November this year, 1,474 deaths and 8,448 injuries were recorded from a total of 9,904 accidents that involved 15,505 vehicles.
During the same period last year, there were 12,000 cases of road accidents out of which 1,713 people lost their lives.
The figures showed 17.1 per cent reduction in the number of vehicles involved in road accidents, 18.4 per cent reduction in cases of pedestrian knock down, 14 per cent reduction in deaths and 25.4 per cent reduction in the number of injured persons, compared to the same period last year.
Mrs Obiri-Yeboah said the commission was ,therefore, rolling out a series of events in collaboration with institutions such as the Driver and Vehicle Licensing Authority (DVLA), the MTTD, the National Commission on Civic Education and the media to carry out outreach programmes at major lorry terminals throughout the country.
The commission further indicated that the Ghana National Fire Service had deployed about 10 rescue vehicle teams on some of the major road corridors across the country.
Be cautious
The Director-General of the MTTD, ACP Patrick Adusei Sarpong, who received the equipment, pledged that it would be put to good use to justify the investment.
With the harmattan making visibility poor and increasing the probability of road accidents, Mr Sarpong urged drivers and pedestrians to be cautious on the roads.