Extend surveillance to highways beyond Accra

Dear Editor,

I have observed recently how the Ghana Police Service is using surveillance cameras in the city to arrest drivers who commit various road traffic offences.

The facilities and technology deployed at the monitoring centres allow officers to zoom in on specific locations to pick registration numbers of vehicles and subsequently follow to invite or possibly prosecute drivers for misconduct.

In the past weeks, I have seen footages the police have released and I wish to commend them for the initiative. I am, however, concerned that most of the videos seem to capture only offending drivers in Accra.

On a recent trip outside Accra, I spotted a number of reckless driving on some highways, including wrongful overtaking, drivers making illegal u-turns and vehicles parked on the shoulders of the road without advance warning triangles.

This phenomenon is common on the Accra-Nsawam road and beyond but I am yet to see a surveillance video from these areas.

If it is the case that the monitoring centre does not operate beyond Accra, then the police should start taking steps to mount cameras along major highways also.

Apart from the capital cities, there is enough evidence that a lot most breaches occur along major highways causing tragic accidents.

I believe the presence of surveillance cameras along highways in addition to increased road safety education would make drivers more cautious and help reduce fatalities on our roads.

Philip Ntem Sarpong,

Osino.