MTTD/NRSA Holds 2-day Capacity Building Workshop On Arrive Alive Campaign.

The Motor Traffic and Transport Department (MTTD) of the Ghana Police Service in collaboration with the National Road Safety Authority (NRSA), has organised a two- day capacity building workshop on Arrive Alive’ Road Safety Campaign” for the nation’s traffic enforcement officers.

The two-day programme saw all the MTTD commanders from across the regions of Ghana meeting at Miklin Hotel, Kumasi to be empowered with the objectives and modular operand of the campaign.

Ing. Mrs. May Obiri-Yeboah, Director-General, National Road Safety Authority, in her keynote address, commended the Motor Traffic and Transport Department (MTTD) of the Ghana Police for their various roles played in reducing road carnages.

She said as part of the efforts to promote road safety awareness in Ghana, the NRSA had partnered with a section of the media to run the ‘Arrive Alive Road Safety Campaign’. The campaign, she disclosed is aimed at using enforcement and education to change road user behavior and advocacy to reduce laxity among policy makers and implementers. ”The campaign will involve road safety education and advocacy, and the enforcement of traffic regulations,” she said.

The NRSA, she reiterated was charged with the mandate to develop, promote, coordinate and regulate all road safety activities within the country.

The NRSA Director General revealed she is pleased that capacity building was taking place in the Ashanti Region where the first half of 2020 saw the region record 224 deaths and 1, 728 injuries, adding, that was the highest for the period and all must muster all resources and strength to reverse it.

“Road Traffic Casualties remain a public health problem at all levels, and while steps have been taken over the years to improve the road safety situation, much is still needed to be done if the rising trend in road traffic deaths is to be halted or reversed,” she said.

She therefore, appealed for a collective effort with all hands on deck approach to ensure that road safety situation in the country were improved.

“Road Safety cannot be done in a vacuum; it must always be data-led. Research data indicates that the main causes of road traffic crashes include, speeding, wrongful overtaking, driving under the influence of drugs / alcohol, inattentiveness and distraction.”

Ing. Mrs Obiri- Yeboah mentioned one category of road users that have seen a major increment in road traffic crashes and casualties as the motor cyclist, which have risen from being the seventh to the second major contributor to road traffic casualties.

Ing. Obiri- Yeboah also commended the officers for their efforts towards the prevention of the spread of the novel COVID – 19 pandemic, urging them to continue to enforce the use of the face mask by the public, especially those in public vehicles and ensure that there is social distancing for all.

STORY POWERED BY: OBR MEDIA