Accra (Greater Accra), 16 Feb '99 -

Mr Steve Akorli, Deputy Minister of Roads and Transport, yesterday said recent studies have blamed about 70 per cent of the country's accidents on inadequate enforcement of road safety regulations. To address this anomaly, Mr Akorli said, the Ministry will henceforth give

full backing to the enforcement agencies in the performance of their duties to

ensure discipline on the roads. The Deputy Minister was speaking in Accra at the launching of a one- way system of traffic flow in the Central Business District of Accra. The new traffic flow, which takes effect from Saturday, March 13, will affect traffic flows from the Kwame Nkrumah Circle to the General Post Office, Osu, the Ministries area, the Tema Station, and from Wato club, Liberty House, UTC, and Graphic Road. ''The objective of the new system is to ease congestion on our roads, especially, to and from the Accra Business District as well as safeguard the road infrastructure that have been put in place under the Urban Transport Project''.

Mr Akorli said the Accra roads rehabilitation project, which started in January 1995, covers 35 kilometres of roads within and outside the city and was funded by the World Bank and the government at the cost of 40 million dollars. Mr Akorli said "as we are about to complete the constructional works and put the infrastructure to use, we want to use the opportunity to educate the public about the best use of the facilities''. He urged the driving public to take keen interest in the animation that would be unfolding in the next few weeks before the change over to acquaint themselves on the way the system will operate. Mr Akorli urged the Ghana Private Road Transport Union (GPRTU) and the Ghana Co-operative Transport Association to educate and discipline their members on the proper use of the roads.

In a speech read for him, Mr Peter Nanfuri, Inspector General of Police (IGP), said the one-way traffic flow system in the Accra Business Centre, is a big challenge to the Ghana Police Service, especially the Motor Transport and Traffic Unit (MTTU). He said the animation of the change-over will be displayed at all GPRTU/Co-operative Association stations in and around Accra. Mr Nanfuri said about 120 law enforcement personnel will be stationed at vantage points in the city to direct, control and enforce traffic flow to minimise difficulties. He said the personnel will have the powers to persuade, convince and finally arrest stubborn and recalcitrant parties, who will frustrate the efforts at the enforcement.