Pedestrians to face jail sentence

The board Chairman of the National Road Safety Commission (NRSC), Reverend Ismaila Awudu has revealed that the Commission with support from the Ministry of Road and Highways and the Ghana Police Service will from 2018 not only tolerate indiscipline on the road but jail (jaywalkers) pedestrians.

According to him, accidents are not the sole faults of drivers, but sometimes are caused by pedestrians who cross or walk on the street unlawfully or without regard for traffic directions.

Rev Ismaila said currently, the Commission together with the Ministry will from next year bring to full force the jaywalk policy where not only recalcitrant drivers will be prosecuted, but also pedestrians who fail to cross the road using approved channels.

“Base on the implementation of this policy, that is why the Driver Vehicle Licenses Authority introduced the Smart Driving License system and the installation of cameras on all major roads to expose over speeding and reckless drivers,” he stated

The NRSC chair made this revelation last Friday, December 1, 2017, when the commission partnered Impact Souls Mission to donate medical, food items and a cash of GH? 2,000.00 to accident victims of the 37 Military Hospital.

He said with the installation of cameras and the smart driving license system, law enforcement agencies will be able to track and arrest traffic offenders, over speeding drivers and pedestrians who cause indiscipline on the road resulting into fatal accidents.

Rev Ismaila said as part of the package to check indiscipline on the road, spot fines are going to be enacted to deter Ghanaians from careless driving.

Commending the visionary leadership of Rev Benedict Cyril Crabbe, the leader of Impact Souls Mission, he said the country cannot afford to lose it human resource to frequent accidents.

“It is time Ghanaians be responsible to their live when using or crossing the road. Don’t drink drive, don’t over speed, stop whatsapping when crossing the road and desist from using mobile phones while driving,” the NRSC chair cautioned.

Effects

He revealed that, in a recent chart with the National Amputee Association, he realised that most of them are as a result of accidents adding that if those drivers were a little careful on the road and exercise some restrain they would have been now playing for the black stars.

Rev Ismaila said he does not know whether constructing good roads is the problem because ever since the construction of the N1 Highway, it has killed more people than it former stage.

He called on all road users especially drives to be extra careful in the coming Christmas to help minimize fatalities on the road adding that the Commission is going to organised a walk in Accra this month to create awareness.

Speaking after the donation, Rev Crabbe expressed his excitement about the donation adding that “we owe it a duty as Ghanaians to protect our lives when crossing the road.”

Rev Crabbe called on drivers to stop drink driving and charged passengers to speak out whenever they feel their life is in danger.

“This is the ninth year of undertaking this project. Over the years I have been doing it with my own support but thanks to the new board chairman of NRSC and his church International Central Gospel Church, East Legon, Yahweh Temple branch’s support, this year’s one has become a success,” he stated.

He called for support from cooperate Ghana adding that accidents victims are also part of society and must be supported.

Some of the things donated are medicinal such as urine bags, examination gloves, cervical collars, silicon urethral catheter and tetanus injections, food items such as cartons of soft drinks, milk, 100 loaves of bread from A1 Cake Dread and beverages, toiletries and detergents with total cost of donation around GH?6,000.00.

On her part, Captain Oboshie Torgbor, who received the items on behalf of the hospital, thanked Impact Souls Mission, the NRSC and individuals who made the donation possible.