Minister charges on police

The Minister of Transport and Member of Parliament (MP) for the Efutu Constituency, Mike Allen Hammah, has censured the police, and for that matter, the Motor Traffic and Transport Unit (MTTU), for its inefficiency at enforcing traffic laws to curtail the frequent accidents on our roads.

According to Mr. Hammah, the high level of ineptitude on the part of the police on the roads, coupled with obtrusive unprofessionalism and the use of rickety vehicles by most Ghanaian drivers, was the major causes of the unimaginable road accidents.

The Minister’s criticism comes in the wake of the recent horrible accident that claimed 25 lives and injured 99 others in Tamale.

Addressing a press conference in Tamale, Mr. Mike Hammah insisted that the carnage on the roads ought to stop, and impressed on the National Road Safety Commission, the MTTU, and the Driver Vehicle and Licensing Authority (DVLA), to collaborate in the discharge of their duties, to save the country from losing more lives. He noted that the government spent huge sums of tax payers’ money on accidents and its related issues annually, which could have been channeled into infrastructural development.

The Minister insisted that the majority of the commercial and private drivers, and their vehicles were not supposed to be on the roads, and lamented that some people were driving illegally without licenses, and with vehicles that were completely unworthy for the road, but always go through police checkpoints, without being arrested.

Mr. Mike Hammah also blamed the DVLA for also contributing to the accidents on the roads, and therefore, challenged it to live up to the task.

He asserted that the existing traffic law LI 1974 was outdated, and could not serve any better purpose, hence, the government’s decision to reintroduce new traffic laws, also the new policy which covers 16 thematic areas, would ensure driver training and education, and the establishment of national driving schools.

According to the Minister, the government was also sourcing for funds to procure more buses to boost the Metro Mass Transit system.

He was of the view that the Metro Mass system would offer better transport services to the people, and also reduce the spate of road accidents, if attention was given to the poor road network in the country, especially, in the northern regions.

Mr. Mike Hammah, on behalf of the President John Evans Atta Mills, visited the accident victims at the Tamale Teaching Hospital, where he donated GH¢10,000 for their upkeep.

He was taken through the wards by the Hospital Administrator, Marcellinus Welber, and the Medical Director, Dr. Prosper Akambon.

The Minister and his entourage, including the Deputy Northern Regional Minister, San Nasamu Asabigi, the Chief Executive Officer of the DVLA, Justice Amegashie, and the District Chief executive (DCE) for Savelugu-Nanton, Mohammed Askia, were completely shocked by the degrees of injuries, and agonies of the victims.

Some of the victims sustained head injuries, fractured legs and arms, while others have been amputated.

Dr. Prosper Akambon stated, at a media briefing, that 99 persons were admitted, 21 persons died on the spot, 2 died at the theater, 3 died at the ward, 15 were treated and discharged, 10 in critical conditions, mainly head injuries, and 3 absconded.

He said the situation had since brought serious pressure on the personnel of the hospital, and was therefore, not surprised that one of the nurses fell unconscious in the theater, after working throughout the nights and 16 hours in the day without a break.

He complained that in spite of the good and dedicated efforts made by the doctors and the nurses, a section of the media was still alleging that they abandoned the victims.

The Medical Director conversely expressed regret about the poor conditions and inadequate logistics at the hospital, and called on the government and its partners to speed up the ongoing rehabilitations on the facility.