Editorial
Check activities of tricycle operators
Tricycles, also known as ‘Pragya,’ have recently gained popularity as a form of public transportation in both urban and rural areas.
The use of “Pragya,” is an important source of employment for people in Accra, Kumasi, Ho, Cape Coast, Tamale, Bolgatanga, and other places.
Some commuters find it simple to patronise ‘Pragya’ as a mode of transportation because, in their opinion, it is inexpensive, easily accessible, and quick on the road due to riders’ ease in navigating through automobile traffic. However, many commuters and drivers now find the annoyances that tricycles create on busy roads to be unsafe as well.
Therefore, it urges the government to act quickly to either put a stop to their actions or to regulate them in order to restore order to the system.
Tricycles are widely used in India, China, France, the Philippines and Nigeria among others.
They are sometimes used to transport farm produce to markets to lower post-harvest losses. Others use tricycles for recreation, shopping, and exercise.
Even though they are little, tricycles have emerged as the “Kings of the Road” and are ubiquitous.
However, are their practices legal? Something that began as a little business around three years ago is steadily growing, and if it is not checked, the tricycle will eventually cover the entire community, mostly the cities.
Despite the fact that it has had a tremendous impact on transportation, its operations need to be regulated for safety reasons.
Some have suggested legalising it as a form of transportation to lower crime rates, as it has created employment for the youth.
At the moment, the legislation restricts the use of tricycles for commercial purposes rather than supporting it.
First of all, according to Regulation 128 (1) of the Road Traffic Regulation Act LI 2180, the use of a motorbike or tricycle for a commercial purpose is prohibited.
It further states that motorbike or tricycle cannot be registered by the licensing authority to transport fare-paying passengers.
Section 128 (2) states that except for courier and delivery services, no one may use or permit the use of a motorcycle or a tricycle over which they have control for commercial purposes.
Also, Section 128 (3) establishes that no one may travel on a motorbike or a tricycle in exchange for a fare. Lastly, a person who violates Sub regulations (1), (2), or (3) commits an offense and is subject to a fine of up to 25 penalty units, a period of imprisonment of up to 30 days, or both upon summary conviction.
The operators passionately opposed recent attempts by the authorities to restrict the movement of these tricycles in metropolitan areas since, in their opinion, it provided a living for them and their families.
Even if tricycles are now a common mode of transportation, it is important to remember that some riders lack discipline: they break the law, do not follow the laws of the road, and ride carelessly and recklessly, which result in fatal accidents.
Aside from the fact that they are not particularly heavy, tricycles lack safety doors, and their riders annoy law-abiding road users.
Despite these difficulties, commuters frequently use tricycles, hence urgent action must be taken by the government to resolve these problems.
According to the current state of affairs, it appears that the government has to alter the law to make tricycle use legal while also enforcing rider behaviour restrictions.
In order to bring order to the system, stakeholders including the National Road Safety Authority (NRSA), Motor Traffic and Transport Department (MTTD), the Driver, Vehicle and Licensing Authority (DVLA), Transport Unions and Tricycle Operators among others should have a forum to discuss a policy framework that will regulate the actions of these tricycle operators.
Dear Editor,
Over the past few months, the ages of some drivers of commercial vehicles continue to baffle me.
This is common during weekends when one boards any of the commercial vehicles – be it trotros and okada.
I remember, I boarded a taxi from the Accra Central area towards the Kwame Nkrumah Circle area. When I sat in the vehicle, I realised the driver was a young boy. Specifically, he said he was 18.
I know our laws do not permit youth under the age of 21 to be driving; that is clearly against Ghana’s Road Traffic laws for operating commercial vehicles.
Some commuters have even had confrontations with station masters over the issue and have refused to board vehicles driven by underage individuals, despite the risk of arriving late for work.
This situation is deeply disturbing because it puts the lives of passengers and other road users at risk.
No matter how skilled such drivers may be, allowing underage persons to operate commercial vehicles is wrong and unlawful. Laws governing road safety are meant to protect lives, and ignoring them only increases the chances of accidents and loss of lives.
I therefore urge the relevant authorities, especially the National Road Safety Authority (NRSA) and the Driver and Vehicle Licensing Authority, to strictly enforce the age requirements for commercial driving in the country.
Baba
Labadi
The advantages of focusing on girls have been evident over the years. However, current research indicates that the statistics pertaining to boys are still declining.
Approximately 69 percent of boys and 73 percent of girls finish primary school. While Senior High School (SHS) enrollment trends have lately changed, with females significantly outnumbering males (about 110 girls to every 100 boys), Junior High School (JHS) gender parity remains stable, with the Gender Parity Index (GPI) remaining between 1.00 and 1.03.
The Gender Parity Index (GPI) indicates parity between girls and boys.
Although encouraging education for girls is essential for Ghana’s development, the strong emphasis has unintentionally led to inequalities for boys.
Many stakeholders worry that affirmative action and unequal resource distribution put males at risk, which can occasionally lead to increased dropout rates and behavioural issues in specific neighbourhoods.
There has been a lot of discussion among Ghanaian sociologists and educators about the disproportionate support given to girls and how it affects boys.
They claim that the majority of scholarships and special facilities are frequently disproportionately given to girls, which boy child advocates contend makes young men feel ignored or disadvantaged.
Due to these differences, Apostle Professor Kwabena Agyapong-Kodua, Vice Chancellor of Pentecost University, has voiced serious concerns and is pushing for a deliberate discussion about the education and development of boys in order to build stronger families and societies.
The statement was made by Apostle Prof. Agyapong-Kodua during a seminar hosted by the Church of Pentecost Schools Outreach Ministry in Accra on May 16, which is International Day of the Boy Child.
It was organised in association with the Pentecost Men’s Ministry and the Ghana Education Service (GES) under the theme “Flourish and Thrive: Investing and Unleashing Boys for Strong Families and Communities.”
Apostle Prof. Agyapong-Kodua revealed that many young males are vulnerable due to inadequate mentoring, a decline in schooling, negative social media influences, and emotional neglect.
Additionally, he stated that the boy child faced numerous difficulties, including aggression, substance addiction, academic decline, emotional neglect, and the lack of strong role models, as a result of the focus shifting to the girl child.
He worries that since boys are essential to the development of the country, they should not be overlooked in discussions about leadership, education, family stability, and national reform.
The Spectator agrees with Apostle Prof. Agyapong-Kodua and believes that while it is important to train girls, neglecting boys can impede social advancement by causing differences in behaviour and education between young men and women.
“If we don’t make an effort social media will train our children for us. We’re not saying they shouldn’t use social media, but we should help them get the information they need to succeed in life,” he said.
The Spectator believes that the GES would adopt gender-responsive education in order to guarantee that classroom instruction meets the requirements of both boys and girls equally.
Let’s continue to be dedicated to making sure that no child is left behind.
