Mr Gabriel Kofi Dake, the Director of Operations, Monitoring and Evaluation of Street Sense Organisation (SSO), said the reckless driving and indiscipline among some motorbike and tricycle riders are major causes of road accidents in the country.
He advised riders to eschew negative attitudes and behaviours that caused road carnage and urged them to acquire the relevant licenses, adding: “Driving without a license is an offence punishable by law.”
Mr Dake gave the advice at a road safety campaign for motorbike and tricycle (pragia) riders at Pokuase, a suburb of Accra, organised jointly by the Church of Pentecost-Achimota Area Men’s Ministry and the SSO, a non-governmental organisation championing road safety education and awareness in Ghana.
The event, which was on the theme: “Road Safety: My Concern, Your Concern, Our Concern” attracted about 200 participants from different unions at Pokuase and its environs.
“Practices such as drink-driving, substance abuse, speeding and wrong overtaking are all negative behaviours and attitudes that contribute to road accidents on daily basis,” Mr Dake said.
He also urged them to keep their motorbikes and tricycles in good condition and ensure they had functioning side mirrors.
“Anytime you ride, always remember to put on your protective equipment such as helmet, reflectors, heavy-duty jacket, boot, gloves, as well as knee and elbow guards,” he said, and urged the unions to regularly organise training workshops to educate their members on road safety regulations.
Mr Samson Oddoye, the National Coordinator of SSO, reiterated the need for the motobiker and tricycle rider to adhere to traffic regulations.
“As motorbike and tricycle riders, you need to respect traffic light signs and traffic indicators of in-coming vehicles and avoid reckless crossing of vehicles and meandering in between cars,” he said.
Pastor Francis M.K. Klu, the District Pastor of the Church of Pentecost, Pokuase Central, said the church was alarmed by the spate of road accidents, especially those involving motorbikes and tricycle riders, nationwide, which necessitated the campaign.
“As a Church, we deemed it an obligation to mobilise the motorbike and tricycle riders in Pokuase to sensitise them on road safety to help ensure sanity on our roads,” he said.
The Church would continue to engage relevant stakeholders, including political and traditional leaders, transport and motorcycle unions to promote road safety not only in Pokuase but in Ghana as a whole.
In attendance was the Chief of Pokuase, Nii Otto Kwame V, among other dignitaries.
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