Indiscipline driving eroding Ghana's global credit

Accra, Sept. 06, GNA - The global credit given to Ghana on its road construction efforts is being thwarted by the continuous indiscipline behaviour of some commercial drivers, Mr Stanley Adjiri Blankson, the Accra Mayor observed on Thursday.

He said: "As a Government we are being globally credited with our tremendous efforts in road construction...however such efforts sometimes become insignificance because of sheer carelessness and rambo-like" driving."

Mr Blankson said this in Accra when he launched the 2006 National Vanguard Best Taxi Driver Awards on the theme: "Ghana @50 - The Contribution of the Taxi Driver."

He lauded the idea but noted that the country's road safety records could be much better if Ghanaian commercial drivers could exhibit great discipline and patience when they sat behind the steering wheel. Mr Blankson said, Ghanaians must continue to remind themselves that at the root of most of the hallowing accidents in the country, the human factor accounted for more than 80 percent.

He said despite the agreement by the Accra Metropolitan Assembly (AMA), the Police and Transport Unions on the type of uniform to be worn by the taxi drivers, most drivers had still kept a deaf ear to the call. "We want you to change; if you change it will be good for our society. Your profession is a noble one and you must help make it look as such," Mr Blankson said.

He appealed to the Ghana Transport Coordinating Council to rise up to the task of bringing honour and dignity to the industry. The AMA Chief Executive said as the country prepared to receive visitors for the upcoming African Cup of Nations in Ghana, "we need a new brand of disciplined taxi drivers to provide quality service so as to mirror a positive image of our country."

The best taxi driver award project, the brain-child of Vanguard Assurance Company Limited was instituted in 2003 to complement the effort of agencies involved in road safety and also reward the taxi driver for his/her effort in contributing to the development of the country.

The national best taxi driver would this year take home a brand new "Tata Indigo GLX" vehicle sprayed in local taxi cab colours valued at 1700 US dollars.

Criteria for the award includes: knowledge in road signs and motor traffic regulations, appearance and general comportment, financial obligations to ones union, honesty and integrity, safe driving, and knowledge of major landmarks and tourist sites in the locality within which the driver operated.