TOYOTA Ghana, in collaboration with the New Edition Road Safety Campaign and the Motor Traffic and Transport Unit (MTTU) of the Ghana Police Service in Kumasi, has embarked on an intensive road safety campaign in the Kumasi metropolis and its environs to sensitise both motorists and commuters to strictly adhere to road traffic regulations.
The exercise is aimed at reducing the spate of accidents and carnage, especially in the Kumasi metropolis and the country in general.
The programme, which was part of the 10th anniversary celebration of Toyota Ghana, borne out of the Ghana Motor Company Limited (Ghamot) 10 years ago, also sought to bring to the fore the need for motorists to maintain their vehicles regularly to avoid the rampant breakdown of vehicles which had been the major cause of road accidents with the associated loss of lives and property.
The Deputy Manager of Ghamot in charge of sales, Mr Eric Darko, launched the campaign on behalf of the Managing Director, Mr Masato Kimata, in Kumasi.
Apart from the road safety campaign, Toyota Ghana is also organising a tree-planting exercise in parts of the Kumasi metropolis to enhance beautification programmes to keep Kumasi clean and green.
In an address read on his behalf, Mr Kimata had attributed the company’s zeal and interest in road safety matters to the fact that road traffic crashes were the major causes of death, and much resources continued to be expended at both the national and regional levels to minimise the incidence of accidents.
He said the campaign was launched in Kumasi, partly because the Ashanti Region in general and Kumasi in particular "have the worst driver practice, behaviour and road traffic accident record in Ghana".
"Kumasi is the capital of the region and, therefore, an excellent place to focus a campaign of this nature on," he stressed.
He commended the MTTU for its tremendous contribution to the reduction of road
traffic accidents through its collaboration with the road safety committees, and encouraged the unit to sustain it.
He gave the assurance that the company would continue to collaborate with all stakeholders to support road safety campaigns to reduce the carnage on the roads, make travelling more enjoyable and comfortable.
In his address, the Regional MTTU Police Commander, Superintendent James Sarfo Peprah, expressed concern about the recklessness on the roads, and said "travelling has now become a source of worry to the ordinary Ghanaian, because accidents occur almost every passing day, thus putting people’s lives at great risk".
He said the spate of accidents, leading to the loss of precious lives and property, could also be attributed to the fact that road safety campaigns "have been relegated to the background, and are regarded as the work of only Road Safety Commission and its related organisations".
"Let's not forget that when accidents occur, it is not only members of the commission who are affected. It is our dear mothers, fathers, brothers and sisters and other relations who are worst affected, so we should all join hands to make the campaign more effective and sustainable,” the Regional MTTU Police Commander advised.
Recalling the death of some illustrious sons and daughters, including Messrs, Edward Osei Kwaku, Achuliwor, Bishop James Kwadwo Owusu, Archbishop John Kwadwo Amissah and countless others, he said apart from the loss of precious lives, "properties running into millions of cedis that provided the livelihoods of some people are also destroyed through vehicular accidents".
Superintendent Sarfo Peprah said since 2003, as many as 1,993 people had perished in the region alone through road accidents, while those who suffered various degrees of injuries stood at 11,680.
"This tells us as citizens that we still have enormous challenges ahead," he said, adding that "as Ghana celebrates her 51st birthday, and Toyota Ghana Company Limited her 10th anniversary, let us look back and discuss what went wrong on our roads and address the challenges before things get out of hand".
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