Motor tricycle, a major road safety threat – NRSC

Motor tricycles have become a major threat to road safety in Ghana and across other countries in the West African Sub-region, says the National Road Safety Commission (NRSC).

The motor tricycle is not only a popular means of transport in the three northern regions but has also been a leading contributor to road crashes in these regions.

Mrs May Obiri Yaboah, Director of Planning and Programmes at the NRSC, made this known when she led a team to pay a courtesy call on the Upper West Regional Minister, Dr Ephraim Avea Nsoh, at his office in Wa.

She said during her recent visit to Niger and Burkina Faso, there was a lot of complaint about the motor tricycle, and it was time the Commission put in measures to curb the menace.

She also suggested proper training and registration of users of tricycles to prevent abuses as well as the embossment of reflectors to make them visible to other road users especially in the night.

Mrs Yeboah, who commended the Regional Minister for his commitment to road safety issues, said she and her team visited the region as part of their monitoring to find out whether the operational standards introduced by the Commission last year were being implemented effectively in the region.

According to her, the visit would also afford them the opportunity to get first hand information on the activities of regional officers in collaboration with other stakeholders so as to offer advice where necessary.

Dr Nsoh thanked the Commission for its good work in trying to save lives in the country and pledged his total commitment to support their activities to help the Commission achieve its objective.

He said he had directed district chief executives in the region to register all motor cycles in their districts as soon as possible to monitor their activities and ensure that they abide by road safety regulations.

Dr Nsoh said he had also directed the Savannah Accelerated Development Authority and the Local Enterprises and Skills Development Programme to get their motor tricycle users properly trained and registered before releasing the machines to them.

They should also ensure that the machines were properly embossed with the reflectors before distribution, he said.