Government allocates GHC335 million for road signs and markings to curb accident menace

President, Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo, as part of efforts to control the spate of road accidents in the country, has approved an action plan which includes the allocation of about GHC 335 million per year to make available road signs and markings for a three-year period.

In a release issued by the Information Ministry, the action plan put together by ministers of Interior, Transport and Roads is expected to aid massively in dealing with the upsurge of road accidents in the country.

The tripartite approach covers areas in Education, Enforcement and Engineering and gives briefs of how each section is intended to contribute to the cause.

In the release, the Education approach focused on public education and awareness creation on road safety rules, while the Enforcement touches on strict administration of road traffic laws supervised by the Ghana Police Service as well as Engineering which envelopes road maintenance.

“Education: resource the National Road Safety Commission to scale up public education and sensitization on road safety with an additional GHC 6.5 million from the Road Fund”. Enforcement: a. Enforcement of Road Traffic Laws by the Police through spot fines by automations of MTTD operations. b. Partner with private towing companies and Nationwide Traffic Management and Enforcement Limited (NTMEL) to vigorously enforce regulations. Engineering: Resource the Ghana Highway Authority, Department of Urban Roads and Department of Feeder Roads with at least GHC 335 million a year to provide signage and road markings for roads over a three (3) year period, it read.”

The Ghana Police Service, Road Safety Commission and other road sector agencies have been therefore tasked to instantly start the implementation of the action plan.

The issue of road accidents which has always been a matter of great concern to several Ghanaians has in recent times become uncomfortably incessant, a situation the government clearly sees needs urgent attention.

The Motor Transport and Traffic Directorate (MTTD) of the Ghana Police service, in a report captured by myjoyonline revealed that about six people die daily in road accidents nationwide; a very alarming revelation at that.

Per the report, Head of Education, Research and Training at the MTTD, DSP Mr Alexander Obeng who made the revelation named irresponsible driving as the main reason for rise in road accidents.

This year alone, road accidents have taken the lives of several loved ones including dancehall diva, Priscilla Opoku-Kwarteng well known as Ebony Reigns who died in a car crash on the Sunyani-Kumasi road.

Sadly about 18 people over the weekend, also died in separate accidents in the Northern Region.