Bolgatanga, Sept. 14, GNA - Interference by politicians and opinion leaders in the enforcement of road safety regulations has been identified as a major obstacle towards curbing road accidents in the Upper East Region.

Lamenting this at a meeting organised by the National Road Safety Commission in Bolgatanga last Friday, stakeholders in the road sector cited many instances where political leaders and opinion leaders had interfered in the enforcement process by pleading on behalf of road traffic offenders.

They said such personalities often pleaded with security agencies to release motorbikes, which had been seized from traffic offenders. The stakeholders said the situation was making the work of the security agencies very difficult and added that the politicians and opinion leaders should rather assist them to do their work effectively. The participants also expressed concern about people, who drive whilst receiving or making mobile telephone calls, saying that the situation could create accident and said such people when caught should not be speared.

They deplored the rampant springing up of signboards and posts in the Region and said it also contributed to the causes of road accidents.

The meeting saw the setting up of a joint operation team comprising the Police, Customs Excise and Preventive Service (CEPS), District and Municipal Assemblies, Insurance Companies, Transport Unions, Red Cross and the Media in the region to help enforce road traffic regulations. Mr Alexander Ayata, the Regional Manager of Road Safety Commission, said a sensitization programme would be rolled out soon on road safety. Mr Ayata said about 36 deaths was recorded in the region for the first half of this year, majority of which died through motor bike accidents.

He promised that the culprits of traffic offenders would be arrested and prosecuted.