Transport sector performance under review
Alhaji Collins Dauda, Minister of Transport, has challenged stakeholders in the road sector to put in place measures that would help in the reduction of the number of road accidents in the country.
He noted that the first half of the year had already recorded 1,080 deaths as compared to less than 1,000 deaths same period last year and said road safety was a shared responsibility.
Alhaji Dauda was opening the Transport Sector Performance Review Conference in Koforidua on Friday.
The two-day conference is under the Theme; “Transport Infrastructure and Services, Key to Economic Development”.
Alhaji Dauda charged the participants to use the forum to critically assess their performance as a sector and also as a means to make informed diagnoses of the challenges, which confronted them in their endeavor to achieve the set targets.
He urged them to appreciate and acknowledge the responsibility placed on them by government and the people of Ghana with respect to demands on the Transport sector.
“By the Ministry’s mission, we are expected to provide leadership and guidance for the development of Ghana’s transportation system through effective policy formulation, market regulation, asset management and service provision”.
“This falls in line with the Country’s vision of achieving a middle income status by 2020 within a decentralized environment; which means doubling the growth rate of Ghana’s economy within the coming decade”.
Alhaji Dauda indicated that the National vision required that the Maritime, Rail, Road Transport Services and Aviation Sub-sectors be positioned in terms of infrastructure and services to play a catalytic role in achieving the national objective.
He said Government’s policy for the ensuing year was based on infrastructural development adding that it was his expectation that stakeholders would focus their efforts on the mandate as well as projects that could be completed next year and which would propel the government positively as it faced the people for a renewal of its mandate.
Alhaji Dauda acknowledged the efforts of some of the agencies in the execution of their programmes.
“There had been considerable progress made in the sub-urban railway development. The Asaprochona-Tema Railway line is being extended from the Tema Harbour to Japan Motors in Community One”.
“The project, which is 60 percent complete, will allow commuters to have easy access to the sub-urban rail services”.
In the Maritime sub-sector, he said a conceptual design for the expansion of the Takoradi Port had been completed and engagement of Consultants for the actual design and commencement of the work were in progress.
“With regard to the Aviation Sector, the Kotoka International Airport (KIA) Phase three rehabilitation works have commenced and a New Fire Station has been completed”.
Alhaji Dauda noted that the Road Transport Service Sub-Sector had witnessed an increase in road side spot checks by the Driver Vehicle License Authority (DVLA) and an increase in the road safety campaigns by the National Road Safety Commission.
Source: GNA