Accra, Oct. 25, GNA - A way is to be found to make the handling of mobile phones whiles driving a crime, Mr Hackman Owusu Agyeman, Interior Minister, said on Monday.
"If one hand is holding a mobile phone and the other is steering the wheel, concentration would obviously be low... this is one of the measures being considered to save lives and limbs on our roads." Mr Owusu Agyeman was responding to concerns of members of Parliament during the second reading of the Road Traffic Bill in Parliament. " We are concerned about the indiscipline on our roads and are doing our best to arrest the situation."
The bill seeks to update road traffic legislations and regulations in line with current requirements and acceptable international practices and to meet road safety needs of this country.
Moving for the legislative lap, Dr Richard Anane, Minister of Roads and Transport, said the bill seeks to remove any overlap, anomaly or contradiction between various legislations and regulations on road traffic.
"Introduce new provisions, which are in consonance with current road transport policies, incorporate and consolidate all amendments made to the existing road traffic legislation in one comprehensive Road Traffic Act.
He said it would also define clearly the responsibilities of various Agencies for roads traffic legislation, regulation and enforcement.
Members called for the strengthening of the police and the strict enforcement of Traffic rules to decrease road accidents. They had argued that, most road accidents were due to human rather than mechanic error.
Earlier, a report of the Finance Committee on the loan agreement between the Republic of Ghana and the Federal Republic of Nigeria for an amount of 40 million dollars as part funding for Ghana's equity in the West African Gas Pipeline Company was laid.
