The Minister for Local Government, Decentralization, and Rural Development, Martin Adjei-Mensah Korsah, has identified the ongoing traffic congestion in cities as largely due to trader activities.
He noted that the insufficient enforcement of traffic regulations also contributes to the issue, and to address this, assuring that his office, in partnership with relevant stakeholders, will implement stricter enforcement of these regulations.
“The key issue is enforcement. Roads are designed for smooth movement, not for trading activities. There are numerous challenges that arise,” he explained.
Mr. Korsah shared his experiences driving through the city late at night, highlighting the contrast between the calm of the roads then and the chaos that ensues during the day.
He pointed out that areas such as Makola, Malata, and Kaneshie are clear at night, but become congested as traders and passengers spill onto the streets during the day.
“The laws are there and our assemblies must use them. If 60 percent of our laws are enforced, it would make a significant difference. We intend to enforce them rigorously to ensure order and allow vehicles to move freely. So, thanks be to God, the proposal to amend the Road Traffic Regulations 2012 was withdrawn,” he stated.
His remarks follow the recent proposal of a Legislative Instrument aimed at amending the Road Traffic Regulations 2012, which would allow certain officials to use sirens and drive without speed limits, however, after public outcry, the proposal was withdrawn.
During a tour of market project sites in Accra, Mr. Korsah expressed his strong opposition to the idea of using sirens, emphasizing that while discussions on this matter are not warranted, strict adherence to traffic laws is essential.
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Source: Comfort Sweety Hayford/ATLFMNEWS
