The Bolgatanga Municipal Assembly has inaugurated a Municipal Road Safety Committee to spearhead efforts aimed at reducing road crashes and improving safety on roads within the municipality.
The formation of the committee is in line with a directive from the Ministry of Local Government, Decentralization and Rural Development (MLGRD), in collaboration with the National Road Safety Authority (NRSA), to strengthen road safety structures at the assembly level.
Members of the Bolgatanga Municipal Road Safety Committee include the Municipal Coordinating Director as Chairman, representatives from the National Road Safety Authority (NRSA), Ghana Private Road Transport Union (GPRTU), Bolgatanga Traditional Council, Municipal Police Command, A1 Radio, Municipal Health Directorate, Municipal Urban Roads Engineer, an Assembly Member, and the Transport Officer of the Assembly.
The committee is mandated to plan, develop, and implement road safety programmes within the municipality. It is also expected to serve as an advisory body to the assembly on issues and challenges related to road safety, particularly the implementation of road safety interventions under the District Performance Assessment Tool (DPAT).
Other responsibilities of the committee include ensuring the implementation of at least 60 percent of road safety interventions in the Assembly’s action plan, registering public transport operators, vehicles, drivers, and terminals, as well as assisting in the implementation of policies and regulations approved by the NRSA at the assembly level.
Speaking during a presentation on the mandate of the committee, the Upper East Regional Public Relations Officer of the NRSA, John Quarshie, identified a number of factors contributing to road crashes in the Bolgatanga municipality.
According to him, road encroachment by vendors, including operators of drinking spots, shops, and food vending businesses along roadsides, continues to pose serious risks to motorists and pedestrians.
He further cited overspeeding by motorists, non-wearing of crash helmets by motorcyclists, underage riding, and the wrong positioning of road signposts as some of the major causes of road crashes in the municipality.
Mr. Quarshie identified the Sumbrungu-Anateem stretch of the Bolgatanga-Navrongo highway, the SSNIT traffic intersection, and the Zamse SHS junction as major road crash hotspots in the municipality.
He also noted that February, March, and December are considered high-risk periods for road crashes in the area due to increased vehicular and human activities during those months.
Chairman of the committee and Bolgatanga Municipal Coordinating Director, Alhassan Abdulai, expressed appreciation to members for accepting the responsibility to serve on the committee.
He urged members to work collaboratively and develop actionable plans that would help restore sanity on roads within the municipality and reduce the increasing incidence of road crashes.
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