About 530 drivers convicted for traffic offences in Accra

Accra, Oct 1, GNA - About 350 drivers within the Accra Metropolis were convicted for various traffic offences between July and September this year.

Mr Solomon Kwabena Ntim, Deputy Superintendent of Police (DSP) in-charge of Traffic at the Motor Transport and Traffic Unit (MTTU) who announced this on Wednesday, said drivers of 352 private vehicles and 178 commercial vehicles made up of 50l men and 29 women were convicted. Mr Ntim was speaking at an out-reach programme on road safety organize by the MTTU for drivers at the Tema station in Accra.

The programme to educate drivers on traffic offences and co-operation with the police, is part of efforts by the MTTU to educate drivers in the Greater Accra Region.

Mr. Ntim said the programme began at the Tema Station that had outlets to about 36 different destinations. He advised drivers against releasing their vehicles to mates who were not licensed to drive and ensure that their vehicles were well maintained.

Mr Francis Napoleon Kuma, of the Motor Department of the State Insurance Company (SIC), and a member of the Greater Accra Regional Road Safety Committee said it was obligatory for drivers to insure their vehicles.

He said they should therefore, co-operate with the police when they insist on enforcement of the law.

TUC took C200m from govt to re-consult members-Aferi

Accra, Oct.1, GNA- The Trades Union Congress (TUC) on Wednesday said it took 200 million cedis from government to finance the "re-consultation" of its members on the National Health Insurance Bill.

A statement issued in Accra and signed by Mr Kwaku Darko Aferi, Head, Public Affairs Department said as a result of disagreement between government and organised labour on the level of consultations and education on the bill, it was agreed that organised labour should re-consult its members.

"It was also agreed that since the new consultation was outside labour's budgetary allocation for the year, government should foot the bill," it said.

The statement said it spent 158,963,500 cedis leaving a balance of 41,036,500 cedis.

It said the expenditure covered T&T, accommodation and meals for delegates and resource persons, as well as cost of fuel, venue for meetings and media coverage.

The statement said various sums of money were transferred through the Ghana Commercial Bank Head Office to eight regions. They are Western Region,19,130.000.00 cedis, Upper West,20.750,000.00 cedis, Ashanti,19.130,000.00 cedis, Brong Ahafo,19,130,000.00 cedis.

The rest were Northern, 20,750.000.00 cedis and Volta 18,130,000.00 cedis.

It said Greater Accra had 19,430.000.00 cedis in cash and Upper East had 21,750.000.00 cedis in cash.