Editorial
Road safety: Are drivers becoming more careful?
Stakeholders including the Ghana Police Service, the National Road Safety Authority, the Driver and Vehicle Licensing Authority launched yet another road safety campaign in November 2022 as the Christmas and New Year festivities approached.
The “Stay Alive; Gyae Obonsam Agyuma No,” crusade was to help reduce road accidents in the Eastern Region and beyond as crashes tended to increase during the yuletide.
Road experts maintain that deaths and injuries could have been avoided if drivers observed road regulations but it appears only a handful of them {drivers} and road users heed this caution.
Even before the 2022 Christmas celebrations started, a number of road accidents had been recorded, many of which might have been caused by driver negligence and bad roads.
Although the impact of the 2022 road safety campaign is yet to manifest, I believe drivers are becoming more careful on our roads. Reflecting on happenings in my locality as of January 5, 2023, I am convinced there was less ‘tragedy’ during the festive season.
This notwithstanding, the road safety campaigns should be an all-year activity. Public education on bad driving habits should not be intensified only on ‘special occasions’ or when sponsors secure enough funds to launch campaign.
Drivers should constantly be reminded that it is not safe to answer phone calls when driving.
No matter what speed one is driving at, mobile phones remain a distractive element. Apart from making voice calls, some drivers tend to bury their head behind the steering wheel to respond to text messages while in traffic.
Already, there are fines for drivers who breach road traffic regulations and I wish to encourage the police to apply those sanctions to the letter, especially when a driver’s carelessness leads to loss of lives.
While at it, I encourage stakeholders to push for the repair of all bad roads. Those without adequate furniture, including street lights and proper markings for safe driving should be restored while those which require dualisation should be completed in time.
By Josephine Nyorkor Ntreh & Serwaa Marfo,
Ghana Institute of Journalism.
Accra.
Editorial
Provide adequate security for Christmas
Christmas is four days away and Ghanaians are preparing feverishly for the grand occasion.
It is a momentous occasion on the calendar of Christians. It marks the commemoration of the birth of Jesus Christ.
After the various church services to mark it, the whole atmosphere turns into one for merrymaking while people also share gifts to friends and family members.
Interestingly, the same period witnesses a surge in criminal activities as cases of armed robbery, phone snatching and other negative vices happen.
That is the reason why I want to appeal to the security agencies to be watchful within the period.
The Police, especially is already stretched as a result of the recent elections held and preparation for the January 7 swearing in ceremony to follow but that should not leave criminals with a field day.
Just as the service intensify patrols within the period, I wish to appeal for a repetition of the exercise to curb crime in the society.
Residents can also help in this regard by providing information on the activities of strange characters in our various vicinities.
With these in place, one can be sure that the celebration would be peaceful and enjoyable, devoid of troubles
Editorial
Don’t prophesy to cause fear and panic
Dear Editor,
Curtains on the year 2024, is gradually drawing to close, with many, achieving their dreams while others hope for a better 2025.
Amidst this, churches have planned their watch night services with various themes for the night hoping to give Christians and Ghanaians at large a chance to enter the New Year with optimism.
At the service, there will prophecies or predictions for the coming year, with some causing fear and panic among the populace.
In the year 2021, the Ghana Police Service banned prophecies during 31st night services, also known as watch night services.
Such prophecies, according to the police has caused fear and panic among targeted persons
It seems churches and their leaders have forgotten about this ban, I wish to call in the police to remind the churches to enforce the ban which were mostly about the death of prominent persons in the society.
I believe this will again bring sanity into the Christianity and the society at whole
