Traditional rulers urged to join fight against indiscipline on roads
The National Road Safety Commission (NRSC) has appealed to traditional rulers in the Upper West Region to help the Commission in educating their people on the need to exercise discipline on the road to reduce the spate of accidents in the region.
The Commission is of the belief that Traditional rulers who have some form of authority over their people could play a significant role in the road safety campaign and should therefore be involved.
Mr. Mohammed Abdul-Samad, the Upper West Regional Director of the NRSC, made the appeal during a meeting with the Wechiau Naa, Naa Imori Nandom Gomah II and his elders at Wechiau in the Wa West District.
Briefing the Chief and his elders on the consequences of over speeding, wrong overtaking, disregard for road safety signs and non-use of crash helmets by motorists, Mr. Abdul-Samad said accidents could be avoided if drivers and motorists maintained some level of discipline on the road.
Another area of concern to the Road Safety Director is the introduction of the tricycle popularly known as “Nyaaba Lorry” in the local parlance into the market.
The motor tri-cycle which is meant to convey goods and services is under serious abuse in the sense that it had been converted into passenger vehicle especially for carrying women to farms and market places.
Mr. Abdul-Samad said the number of accidents and the corresponding deaths caused by these tricycles in the region since their introduction to the market were unimaginable.
He appealed to traditional rulers to assist the Commission and the Police by way of educating people who use them in their communities on the need to obey road safety regulations and appealed to parents not to allow their under age children to ride these machines because of the lack of experience and the danger involved.
Mr Abdul-Samad said most of the accidents were usually caused by these inexperienced young riders who see riding on these machines as fun and neglect the safety aspect of it.
Naa Imori Nandom Gomah thanked the Commission for coming to educate them on the very important issue of road safety, adding that the current happenings on the road were unacceptable and detrimental to development.
He assured the Commission that he and his elders would find appropriate platforms to educate their people especially on the use of the tricycle and also the crash helmet which according to him were the most serious road safety concerns in the area.
Source: GNA