Doba (U/E) Jan.18,GNA -A new policy to enhance discipline and safety on the country's roads is to be rolled out soon as part of efforts to reduce vehicular accidents and related deaths and injury. The policy encourages shared responsibilities for road sector managers including the Ghana Police Service, the Road Safety Commission, and the various Metropolitan, Municipal and District Assemblies and other relevant agencies.

The Upper East Regional Manager of the Ghana Road Safety Commission, Mr. Alex Ayieta, who disclosed at a Road Safety Campaign at Doba near Navrongo in the Kassena-Nankana East District, said policy was necessary due to statistics pointing to the overwhelming high road accidents on the country's roads. The policy assigns roles on actions to the various stakeholders in clear and unambiguous language. "Pedestrians and passengers were most vulnerable to accidents in the country. Forty-three per cent of victims of the 1,600 accidents are passengers and pedestrians".

Mr. Ayieta educated the Chiefs and people of the area on the use of the road such as adhering to road signs and other road regulations which he said was key to avoiding accidents and death. The District Police Commander for Kassena-Nankana East, Assistant Superintendent of Police (ASP) Daniels Dery, said 23 accidents occurred in the area last year and attributed the misfortune to drunkenness, over speeding, overloading, disobeying road regulations, ignorance on the use of the road among others.

ASP Dery the public to abstain from drinking while driving; they should always do defensive driving, wear protective gear such as helmets and seat belts among others. The District Chief Executive for the Area, Mr. Emmanuel Andema, for speed ramps and other visible road signs to be constructed on the Trans ECOWAS road which runs through the district to reduce pedestrian death and injury.

Mr. Andema said government was prepared to provide quality livelihood for the people in the area and that there was the need for everyone to stay alive for that package. The Assemblyman for the Korongo-Kandango Electoral Area, Mr. Eugene Atodio appealed to motorists to respect pedestrians who were vulnerable because most of the people live and work close to the highway.