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New Times Corporation, partners move to ensure road safety
The Commanding Officer of the Greater Accra Regional Motor Transport and Traffic Department (MTTD), DCOP Mr. Martin Ayiih, has advised drivers to avoid practices that increase the risk of road accidents in the country.
addresing the gathering
Photo: Lizzy Okai
He said instead of attributing road crashes to the “work of the devil,” drivers must drive cautiously and observe road safety regulations as Christmas approaches.
Highlighting some safety measures, the police officer urged drivers to keep safe distances between vehicles and avoid the practice known in local parlance as ‘bumper-to-bumper’ driving.
DCOP Ayiih made the remarks at the launch of New Times Corporation (NTC) Road Safety Campaign dubbed “Road Safety in Ghana: Preserving Lives, Sustaining Our Nation,” on Wednesday in Accra.
Speaking on behalf of the Regional MTTD Director, he said drivers must “give sufficient information to other road users when vehicles encounter faults on the road.”
He said drivers must avoid drunk-driving and the use of mobile phones, adding that police surveillance cameras remained active in the city, therefore, drivers should drive responsibly so as not to be “caught in the web.”
“We must be conversant with the Highway Code which is the bible for the road. When you think that the policeman is not there the surveillance camera is the policeman.
Editor Ghanaian
Times making a
presentation to DCOP
Martin Ayiih
Ing. Mrs May Obiri-Yeboah and other management members of NTC
“There are other things that do not directly contribute to accident on the road but they may disable other people you might come into contact with on the road. Do not wait until road certificates expire before you go and renew them,” he said.
Acknowledging the collective responsibility towards road safety, he said the police would offer the needed support to achieve the aims of the NTC road safety campaign.
Mr. Martin Adu Owusu, Managing Director of NTC, noted that road indiscipline had to be addressed from diverse perspectives hence the corporation’s partnership with stakeholders to tackle “acts of recklessness” on the road.
“If we begin to look back at the number of talents we have lost and the number of families that are traumatised in diverse ways due to irresponsible driving, we would begin to appreciate the urgent need to scale up our effort in fighting this canker.”
He said the road safety campaign was, therefore, one of the many initiatives intended to reduce the number of “unwarranted deaths on our roads.”
Engineer (Mrs) May Obiri-Yeboah, Director General, National Road Safety Authority (NRSA) noted that road crushes had adverse economic implications so the public should “exercise greater caution in the days leading to Christmas.”
Praising the Corporation for the initiative, she said that the launch was in line with the “Stay Alive Campaign” which sought to “induce positive behavioural change among road users.”
“Building a fatal free road system is not just an idea but it is an achievable vision and all of us including the media must be part of the campaign to realise this vision,” she said.
Mr. Alfred Koomson, Marketing Manager, NTC, also said the Corporation as state owned entity, had an obligation in the fight against road indiscipline hence the move to partner stakeholders to promote road safety from an “economic and emotional point of view.”
By Ernest Nutsugah & Priscilla Efriyie Ankapong,
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Speaker of Parliament inaugurates open Parliament Steering Committee, launches action plan
The Speaker of Parliament, Alban Sumana Kingsford Bagbin, has launched the Open Parliament Steering Committee and the Open Parliament Action Plan.
The ceremony was under the theme “Achieving Gender Equality: Action by Action.”
The Speaker highlighted the critical role Parliament plays in translating the will of the people into inclusive legislation, responsive policies, and accountable governance.
“The International Day of Parliamentarianism is worth celebrating, as it offers an opportunity not only to recognise and promote achievements in strengthening democratic governance, but also to pause and reflect on the remaining gaps in institutionalising parliamentary democracy,” he said.
He noted that the event was scheduled to coincide with the International Day of Parliamentarianism to reinforce the importance of open and inclusive governance.
The Majority Leader, Mahama Ayariga, stated that the International Day of Parliamentarianism is intended to recognise the vital role Parliaments play globally as pillars of democratic governance.
He noted that this marks the first time Ghana is formally observing the day.
“The gravity of our observance is further accentuated as we convene to witness the launch of the Open Parliament Action Plan by the Open Government Partnership Caucus,” he said.
Delivering a statement on behalf of the Minority Leader, Alexander Kwamena Afenyo-Markin, the Deputy Minority Leader, Patricia Appiagyei, described the Open Parliament Action Plan as a transformative initiative aimed at strengthening the relationship between Parliament and the public.
She said the plan represents a bold commitment to making Parliament more transparent, accessible, and responsive to the needs of Ghanaians.
The Clerk to Parliament, Mr. Ebenezer Ahumah Djietror, described the launch as a key milestone in the effort to build a citizen-focused and accountable Parliament.
He added that the International Day of Parliamentarianism is a call to action to recommit to the highest standards of public service and democratic accountability.
The inauguration was attended by a wide range of stakeholders, including the Majority and Minority Members of Parliament, members of the Open Parliament Steering Committee, the Open Government Partnership (OGP) Caucus, Parliamentary Network Africa, representatives from civil society organisations, members of the diplomatic corps, traditional and religious leaders, student bodies, the Parliamentary Press Corps, and other media partners.
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NACOC declares drug menace a national emergency
The Parliamentary Committee on Defence and Interior has paid a working visit to the Narcotics Control Commission (NACOC) to engage with its leadership and assess operational challenges hampering the fight against illicit drugs.
In a detailed presentation, Dr. Basha Ligbi, Head of the Commission’s Research Bureau, highlighted critical setbacks including broken body scanners at airport terminals, inadequate office infrastructure, overcrowded detention facilities, and deteriorating vehicles.
He also called for the Commission’s headquarters to be reclassified as a security zone, citing growing security risks due to private encroachment and nearby high-rise developments.
Director General of NACOC, Brigadier General Maxwell Obiba Mantey, described the escalating drug trade as a national emergency, warning that drug barons now rival armed robbers in threat level and are gaining influence at the highest levels.
He appealed for stronger institutional support and morale-boosting interventions to preserve the integrity of NACOC officers.
Chairman of the Committee and MP for Builsa North, James Agalga, assured the Commission of the Committee’s commitment to escalate the concerns to Parliament and engage key justice sector stakeholders to fast-track reforms in support of NACOC’s mandate.
