The Accra Metropolitan Assembly (AMA) has launched its first Mass Media Campaign on Road Safety as part of efforts to reduce road crashes and death in the Metropolis.
It called for high and well publicised campaign to change the negative attitudes of road users.
The campaign was developed in collaboration with Bloomberg Philanthropies Initiative for Global Road Safety, the National Road Safety Authority, Motor Traffic and Transport Department (MTTD) of the Ghana Police Service, Ghana Health Service, Urban Roads, the Department of Feeder Roads and the Vital Strategies, a road safety organisation in the United States.
Mr Mohammed Adjei Sowah, the Accra Metropolitan Chief Executive (MCE), who launched the campaign in Accra on Tuesday, said road crashes remained the major causes of deaths and serious injuries in the metropolis.
He said the campaign would be carried out with strong and extensive public education to reduce the fatalities on the roads.
Mr Sowah said some critical issues identified in the data collected by stakeholders were non-compliance of traffic rules by motorists as they drove above the speed limit in the city, which killed 1,812 people in 2018.
He called on the personnel of the MTTD to intensify the enforcement of the road regulations, saying, "You have been mandated to enforce the motor traffic laws without fear or favour. Apply the laws firmly to restore discipline on our roads and in doing so, you contribute your quota to saving lives."
The MCE affirmed the AMA's unflinching commitment to the safety of city dwellers and expressed gratitude to Bloomberg Philanthropies Initiative for strengthening road safety legislation and implementation.
Madam May Obiri Yeboah, Executive Director, National Road Safety Authority, welcomed the challenge of the commitment of the AMA in view of the problems at the moment.
She called for continuous education of road users so that they become vigilant to avoid the carnage.
Assistant Commissioner of Police (ACP) Fosu Arkaah, Greater Accra MTTD Regional Commander, pledged the determination of his outfit to ensure that the Mass Media Campaign on road safety became successful, adding that: "Let's all abide by the safety measures to minimise road crashes."