Sunyani, April 8, GNA - Mr Kwadwo Nyamekye Marfo, Brong Ahafo Regional Minister, on Monday launched the region's pre-Easter road safety education and awareness campaign in Sunyani, with a call on the public to help promote road safety during the festivities. "It behoves on us as stakeholders - passengers, drivers, pedestrians, cyclists, herdsmen, cart pushers, transport associations and indeed the general public to put all hands on deck to promote road safety to stem the carnage on our roads", he said. In a speech read for him, the Regional Minister noted that statistics available indicated that the spate of road accidents in the region had increased tremendously since last year, adding, the situation in the whole country was rather alarming. Mr Nyamekye Marfo said he found the theme for the campaign, "Road Safety - Everyone's Responsibility" as very appropriate and timely as many people would be travelling to their hometowns for the Easter festivities.

"Let it be the responsibility of all of us to promote road safety in the country. It is the responsibility of passengers to report a drunken driver who drives recklessly to the appropriate agencies for the appropriate punishment to be meted to him. "Pedestrians should be careful when crossing the roads, drivers should observe road signs and obey them, and vehicle owners should periodically maintain their vehicles," the Regional Minister advised.

Mr Nyamekye Marfo called on all, particularly motorists, to avoid major accident factors as drunk driving, over speeding, non-maintenance of vehicles, careless overtaking and general impatience during the Easter festivities and beyond.

Mr Daniel Wuaku, Brong Ahafo Regional Manager of National Road Safety Commission (NRSC) stated that the Easter season registered a high incidence of road accidents and the campaign was aimed at educating road users to protect their lives and the lives of others. He said the educational campaign would be extended to the districts in the region, adding that the NRSC was in constant consultation with all major stakeholders to institute measures to deal with the increasing carnage on the country's roads. These include the ban on the sale of alcohol at lorry stations, towing of broken down vehicles on highways at the expense of their owners, the establishment of a national drivers academy and speed limiters on commercial vehicles so they do not speed above 100 kilometres per hour.

Deputy Commissioner of Police Seth Charles Oteng, Regional Police Commander, advised drivers to be focused whilst on the road to avoid unnecessary accidents. Assistant Superintendent Paul Wesley Baah, Regional MTTU boss, urged drivers to rest enough whilst undertaking long journeys, since fatigue was also a key factor for accidents. Mr Atta Boahen, an official of the GPRTU advised passengers to be patient with drivers and not to do anything to distract the attention of the driver.