Accidents are increasing in Brong Ahafo - Police officer

Sunyani, Aug 6, GNA- Mr Henry Dadzie, Chief Superintendent of Police, has expressed regret that in spite of efforts by the police and other stakeholders to ensure safety on roads motor accidents are on the increase in Brong Ahafo Region.

He was speaking at the opening of a three-day training workshop for 50 commercial drivers from the 13 districts in the region.

IMAS Limited, an Accra-based Consulting firm, organised the workshop on behalf of the National Road Safety Commission while Danish International Development Agency (DANIDA) sponsored it.

Mr Dadzie said in 2000, the region recorded 554 accidents in which 114 persons died and 455 sustained injuries while in 2001, 506 accidents were recorded with 181 losing their lives.

Last year from 791 accidents recorded, 202 persons died whilst 764 people sustained injuries.

Mr Dadzie called for measures to reverse the trend and said training and re-training of drivers was necessary for accident prevention.

Mr Ekow Wilson-Asaam, a Consultant of IMAS Limited, said the National Road Safety Commission has identified commercial drivers as causing high percentage of road accidents.

He said the commission is seeking to reduce commercial driver-related accidents by 20 percent by 2005 and has, in collaboration with IMAS Limited, developed the training programme for 500 commercial drivers.