Ho, April 7, GNA- The Volta region has recorded a total of 72 road accidents involving 102 vehicles in the first quarter of 2008 down from 119 cases involving 162 vehicles in the same period in 2007. A Press release signed by Mr Elvis Gbesemate, Volta Regional Co-ordinator of the National Road Safety Commission (NRSC) showed that the number of fatal accidents also reduced from 20 in 2007 to 11 in 2008 during the same period.

It said 29 lives were lost in the 20 fatal accidents recorded in 2007 compared with 18 deaths in the 11 fatal accidents in 2008. The number of injuries from those accidents however rose from 133 in 2007 to 192 in 2008.

The release said there was one head-on collision at Alakple junction on Easter Monday in which two people were killed. It cited the involvement of Road Transport Unions in road safety management and education, availability of hot lines for the public to report cases of dangerous driving, competition from the metro-mass transport system and the improved conditions of roads in the region for accounting for the improved road safety situation.

The release said, there were mixed reactions to the withdrawal of the Police Motor Traffic and Transport Unit (MTTU) of the Police service from the roads.

While the withdrawal was said to have provided the opportunity for some drivers to misbehave, "others see it as an opportunity and challenge for the Unions to control the drivers," the release said. "Some drivers feel relaxed and operate without the usual harassment from unprofessional conduct of some few Police Officers on the roads". "They (drivers) feel they do not need to overload to generate extra money for the unofficial "road tolls", the release stated. The release however indicated that, "Ghana cannot do without traffic enforcement".

It hinted that the "MTTU is undergoing a transformation", and that "Ghanaians will soon see a rejuvenated traffic enforcement unit, we shall all be proud of".