Wa, Dec. 31, GNA - Mr. Mahmud Khalid, the Upper West Regional Minister, has appealed to the Regional Road Safety Commission to procure helmets and collaborate with the police to embark on "Operation instant helmet buying" for people who would refuse to wear helmets while riding motor bikes in town.

He said many people whose lives could have been saved in motor accidents died because they were not wearing helmet. Mr. Khalid was interacting with heads of government departments at an end of year meeting on Wednesday in Wa to take stock of the their performance last year and to come out with good development plans to improve performance next year. He said residents of Wa were the worst road traffic offenders in the Municipality and called on the Police to be strict and to discipline such offenders.

Mr. Khalid said poor time management could lead to low productivity and stressed on the need for effective and efficient time management as well as collaboration among Heads of Departments to ensure proper implementation of policies and programmes. The Upper West Regional Police Commander Alex Beddie said the rampant violation of road traffic regulations, coupled with numerous unregistered motor bikes in the region, had become a source of worry for the police and called on the heads of departments for their support to minimize accidents in the region.

Mrs. Cate Bob Milliar, Upper West Regional Director of the Department of Women, expressed concern about the inability of women to access funds from the Micro Finance and Small Loans Scheme to grow their businesses. Mr. Andrews Kaayi Dimah of the Department of Social Welfare appealed to the Regional Minister to impress on the Wa Municipal Assembly to rehabilitate the Wa Remand Home where juveniles were kept. Other issues discussed included inadequate residential accommodation, poor management of government vehicles by some Heads of Departments and the delay in the release of funds to departments especially at the beginning of every year.

They also deliberated on issues concerning health, education, water and sanitation.