Metro Mass emerges best transport organization in Upper West
Metro Mass Transit (MMT) has been adjudged the best transport organization in the Upper West Region at the 2013 Regional Road Safety Awards ceremony in Wa.
State Transport Corporation (STC) and O. A. Transport Services emerged first and second runner-ups respectively.
Metro Mass took home 10 tyre pressure gauges, 10 warning triangles, 30 reflective jackets, 25 reflective tapes, 10 copies of the Road Traffic Regulation/Act, 30 Highway Code, a citation and a certificate as its prize for emerging first.
STC and O. A. Transport Services also took home similar prizes for placing second and third respectively, while the Ghana Private Road and Transport Union (GPRTU) were honored for being the largest transport union in the region.
It took home four triangles, four car jacks, six fire extinguishers, two pressure gauges and 10 reflective jackets as its prize.
Mr. Mohammed Abdul-Samad, the Upper West Regional Manger of the National Road Safety Commission (NRSC), said the Road Safety Awards Scheme was instituted in 2010 by the Ministry of Roads and Transport in collaboration with the Commission to award deserving transport organizations for their contribution towards road safety in the country.
He said the award was also intended to motivate and encourage competition among the various transport unions/organizations, in order to enhance road safety in the country.
He commended the awardees for their contribution towards road safety, and appealed to them to work hard in order to improve upon their services.
Mr. Nuhu Issahaku Putiaha, the Wa Municipal Chief Executive, said road safety required strong institutions to ensure that both their drivers and clients behave in a manner that will enhance safety on the road.
He said so far about 63 lives had been lost in the region through various road crashes, adding that 90 percent of the crashes were avoidable.
The MCE said the Municipal Assembly in its contribution towards ensuring safety on Wa roads and cleared all people who were selling by the road side to enhance the free flow of traffic.
Mr. Putiaha said the Municipal Assembly had also employed the services of city guards to ensure that people do not transact business at unauthorized places
Alhaji Mahamud Iddrisu, Regional Chairman of the GPRTU, mentioned the poor and narrow nature of some roads in the Municipality, coupled with the absence of traffic lights, as worrying and appealed to the MCE to do something about it.
Source: GNA