NRSC must do more to reduce road crashes – Transport Minister

Alhaji Collins Dauda, Minister of Transport on Thursday charged the National Road Safety Commission (NRSC) to do more to reduce road accidents and fatalities.

He said, “with more than 1,000 persons killed in six months in 2012, the road safety situation cannot be said to be satisfactory.”

He, therefore,urged the Commission to scale up its interventions.

Alhaji Dauda said this in a speech read on his behalf at a mid-year review of the NRSC in Kumasi.

The review is on the theme, “Assessing the 23 % reduction in National RTCs and fatalities in 2012.”

Alhaji Dauda urged the Commission to use innovative approaches in the next six months to enable the country achieve targets set for road safety for the year.

He called for greater commitment from all stakeholders in the sector for mutual benefit.

He stated: “I urge stakeholders implementing the National Road Safety Action Plans to show commitment. After all, nobody is immune to road traffic crashes.

He said he was particularly unhappy about stakeholder institutions which signed to help reduce road crashes yet failed to live up to expectation and said the government would hold such institutions accountable for inactive.

Mr Noble John Appiah, Executive Director of the NRSC, expressed worry that irrespective of the Commission’s activities and programmes, the road safety situation left much to be desired.

He said, “It is disheartening and painful that this time and age, about 2,000 people die annually through road crashes, therefore, you should demonstrate more commitment and be proactive in road safety issues.

Mr Appiah pledged the preparedness of the Commission to review its performances in the last six months and take proactive measures to meet the target of reducing road crashes by 23 per cent.

“Basically, in the next six months, we must ensure that less than 900 people die from road crashes,” he said.

Source: GNA