General News of Friday, 20 December 2002

Source: GNA

MTTU equipped to test drivers for alcohol

The Motor Traffic and Transport Unit (MTTU) of the Ghana Police Service is now equipped to test drivers suspected to be drunk, Mr Thomas Kwaku Forkuoh, a Deputy Superintendent of Police, said at the launch of the Asunafo District Road Safety Campaign at Goaso.

DSP Forkuoh, Secretary of the Brong Ahafo Region Road Safety Campaign Committee, said the government had supplied the MTTU throughout the country with devices to expose drunken drivers.

He said he was not happy about the low attendance at the programme and advised drivers, motor and bicycle riders as well as pedestrians in the area to take the campaign seriously ''because it touches on your survival.''

As part of the campaign, about 170-placard bearing pupils of Goaso Ahafoman Junior Secondary School went on a processing through the main streets of the town.

Some of the placards read: "Passengers are no sacrificial lamb", "Stay alive at 80 kilometres/Hour", "Courtesy and Patience", "Fatigue kills", "Better be late than the late Mr X", and "Do not drive while drunk".

Mr Cephas Bediako, an Assistant Superintendent of Police, said there were 44 motor accidents in the Goaso District between January and December.

Fifty vehicles were involved in the accidents, seven persons killed, four seriously injured while 50 of them sustained minor injuries.