NRSA launches code for political parties
The National Road Safety Authority (NRSA) has launched a road safety code for political parties with the aim to reduce road crashes ahead of the December 7 polls.
Advertisement
The "Road Safety Code of Practice for Political Activities" document, which was launched in Accra yesterday, provides guidelines for monitoring the movement of convoys, night travels by political actors, transportation of party supporters, safety of pedestrians, and the use of motorcycles during campaigns.
Among other things, the code makes specific provision for political parties to recruit qualified drivers, appoint road safety experts into their leadership and ensure that all vehicles meant for political activities were insured.
The launch of the code brought together more than 10 political parties, including the New Patriotic Party (NPP), the National Democratic Congress (NDC), the Convention Peoples Party (CPP), the Peoples National Convention (PNC) and the Progressive Peoples Party (PPP).
Others are the All Peoples Congress (APC), the National Democratic Party (NDP), the Ghana Freedom Party (GFP) and the Movement for Change. Also present were the New Force, the Liberal Party of Ghana (LPG) and the Peoples National Party (PNP).
Apart from the political parties, key stakeholders such as the Christian Council of Ghana (CCG), the Ghana Pentecostal and Charismatic Council (GPCC), the National Peace Council (NPC), chiefs as well as representatives of the Inspector General of Police (IGP), the Driver and Vehicle Licensing Authority (DVLA), CUTS International and Lada Institute also participated in the meeting.
Context
Data from the NRSA reveal that election periods record high number of deaths from road crashes in the country as a result of the disregard for road traffic regulations and other best practices.
For instance, in 2016, 44 people died in 100 crashes involving 157 vehicles during the election period in December, representing a 15.6 per cent increase over the same period in 2015.
Other Trending Stories
Likewise, in 2020, 44 people died, while 169 sustained injuries in 155 crashes recorded, an increase of 21.9 per cent over the previous year.
The statistics further showed that since 2000, all but one election year recorded higher crashes, injuries and deaths as compared to previous and ensuing years.
In 2004, the deaths increased by 27.4 per cent as compared to 2003; in 2008, it decreased by 5.1 per cent compared to 2007; while in 2012, it increased by 1.9 per cent.
Parties
The Director-General of the NRSA, David Osafo-Adonteng, urged the political parties to be mindful of the safety of their actors and supporters as they went about their campaigns ahead of the elections.
He stressed that even as they criss-crossed the country to canvass for votes, they must ensure that they did not compromise their safety on the roads.
Political parties should utilise campaign platforms to create awareness of road safety issues and also ensure that their convoys adhered to road safety regulations to prevent crashes, he said.
Mr Adonteng emphasised that political parties needed to mainstream the road safety code into the manifestos and ensure that there were practical policies on how to address road crashes.
He underscored the need for the strengthening of collaboration among stakeholders to reduce carnage on the road.
The Deputy Communication Officer of the NDC, Malik Basintale, said the launch of the road safety code for political parties was a good initiative that would help to reduce campaign-related crashes.
He said the NDC had already incorporated some road safety issues into its 2024 manifesto that would be launched tomorrow.
"Any policy or guideline that seeks to protect the lives of Ghanaians will be supported by the NDC, and that is why we fully support and will ensure the implementation of the road safety code for political parties," he said.
The Deputy Director of Protocol of the NPP, Kwabena Frimpong, also described the road safety code as a timely move that would ensure that people did not lose their lives because of carelessness on the road during campaigns.
Advertisement
He commended the NRSA for the initiative and gave the assurance that the NPP would strictly adhere to the provisions of the code.
On behalf of the Civil society organisations Platform on Road Safety, the Communication and Programmes Lead for CUTS International, Accra, Shadrack Nii Yarboi Yartey, urged all political parties to embrace the code and implement the guidelines.
He entreated them to be advocates of road safety during their political campaigns and rallies.