The Motor Traffic and Transport Department (MTTD) of the Ghana Police Service, has put in place a number of measures, to ensure an accident free Easter celebration.

“During this Easter eve, we will deploy MTTD personnel, with modern enforcement equipment such as breathalysers to detect drink driving, over speeding detection tools, and other sophisticated gadgets that would ensure responsible driving.”

Superintendent (Supt) Doctor (Dr). Sasu Mensah, Staff Officer to the Director General (DG) of the MTTD, Ghana Police Service (GPS), said this in Accra on Monday, at the opening of a Nation-wide Training program, which is being held for drivers of Metro Mass Transport Limited (MMTL).

He said police personnel would also mount snap checkpoints near pubs and other places with the potential of breeding rowdy behaviour, which typically resulted in reckless driving, especially drink-driving.

Kwahu, which is the traditional hub of activities that mark Easter celebration in the country, would this year have a strong contingent of police personnel to ensure, that drivers who flouted road regulations in the name of merry making, were arrested, Supt. Mensah said.

The Staff Officer to the DG of the MTTD, GPS, said police personnel would also be deployed to areas noted for increased vehicular accidents during festive celebrations.

Touching on the MMTL training programme, he said about 1,000 drivers selected from every part of the country where MMTL had a depot would be trained.

Supt. Mensah said the programme formed part of measures being taken by the MTTD of the Ghana Police Service, to curb road crashes in the country.

He said the exercise was very timely and appropriate, because the Easter celebrations were close, and it was during such festivities that road accidents typically increased.

Supt. Mensah said the exercise formed part of a wider strategy to educate drivers on core driving risk factors such as driving tired, over-speeding and overtaking, among a number of others.

He said the MTTD would intensify education on safe road usage by drivers, through organising programmes at lorry stations such as taxi ranks and “trotro” stations, churches and mosques.

Mr. Albert Adu-Boahene, Managing Director of MMTL, said road Safety was an issue that affected each and every individual irrespective of gender, tribe, political affiliation, education background, profession and social class.

“It is a common challenge whether one uses the road as a driver, passenger, a cyclist, a truck pusher or a pedestrian, and anyone of us is a potential victim of road crashes,” he said.

Mr. Adu-Boahene noted that whilst the number of deaths and the injured aroused great concern from the public, the real problem was the trauma and pain families and loved ones went through, the shattering of dreams of brilliant students and the impact on the socio-economic lives of people.

“MMTL has therefore placed a high premium on safe and responsible driving, grounded on positive attitudes, and I am proud to state that MMTL spends much of its training budget on driving training,” he said.

The MMTL managing Director added, that this exercise would serve as a driving force towards the total achievement of the mission to offer affordable, comfortable, convenient, passenger-friendly, cost-effective and safe transport service to travelling public.

He cautioned drivers to stay alert, disciplined, tolerant, patient, considerate and courteous, adding that such qualities formed part of the distinctive characteristics of road safety awareness.

“It is my hope that sooner or later, safe and exemplary driving by MMTL drivers would excite the admiration of and pose a huge challenge, to drivers in other transport organisations,” Mr. Adu-Boahene said.

The programme is a collaboration between the MMTD of the GPS, and the MMTL.