Inspector Richard Timinka, an officer with the Police MTTD in the Tema region and founder of Roadmaster Ghana, has stated that frequent engagements with motorriders to ensure they obey road safety rules has led to a decline in accidents at intersections, especially traffic lights.

He also mentioned that his organization, Roadmaster Ghana, a road traffic and safety not-for-profit organization will collaborate with the Police MTTD to embark on aggressive stakeholder engagements during the festive season.

He said, “We will visit beaches, drinking spots, and lorry stations to speak to motorists on road safety, emphasizing the importance of not drinking and driving as well as obeying traffic regulations to protect the lives of pedestrians.”

Inspector Timinka said this during a kenkey fest organized by Roadmaster Ghana as part of strategies to drive home road safety education for about 200 motorists in the Tema and Ashaiman enclaves.

The event drew participants from GPRTU, PROTOA, Motor Riders Union, and other drivers from some companies onto the Chemu Park in Community 7, Tema.

This initiative which aimed at reducing road crashes in the country paved the way for participants to engage with police officials, fire service personnel and the National Road Safety Authority discussing the dos and don’ts on the road.

The Kenkey Fest served as an initiative to demonstrate reliance on the police and to foster relationships and cooperation for effective road safety management among key stakeholders.

Mr. Yves Nii Noi Hanson Nortey, the MP for Tema Central constituency, gracing the event urged drivers to learn and understand the road rules as it is extremely important to protect the lives of passengers, stating that the number of lives lost in road accidents in Ghana was more than plane crashes throughout the world in a year.

He quizzed, “Imagine you sit in an aeroplane and you are informed that the pilot didn’t attend piloting school and he is about to fly the plane from here to Dubai or London, do you think you will arrive? Wouldn’t you get scared and get down from the plane?”

He continued by saying “if passengers sit in a vehicle and the driver did not attend any driving school and for that matter doesn’t know any road rules but rather bought his license from an authorized person and is about to drive you to Kumasi, it puts your life at risk.”

Mr. Nii Noi Nortey encouraged organizers of the event to constantly have more training sessions for drivers as this will reduce the level of ignorance and motorists will have a better understanding of our road rules and use the roads properly for economic gains.

Miss Ernestina Adzo Dika, the Communications and Community Engagement officer at Roadmaster Ghana, in an interview with The Spectator, called for corporate institutions, philanthropists and all well-meaning Ghanaians to avail themselves to sponsor this educative initiative to enable them to replicate this programme to other regions in the country.

She said, “Roadmaster Ghana is ready to extend its tentacles to other parts of the country but we can’t do this with our limited resources so we would like to plead with everyone to come on board and support us because this program serves as a refresher course for these drivers and riders.”

The event was sponsored by Guinness Ghana, Engen Ghana Limited, GCB Bank, Ghana Union Assurance, X Natural Mineral Water and Coca Cola and partnered by Ghana Police Service, Ghana National Fire Service, and the National Road Safety Authority and Zondatec Ghana.