THE DEPUTY Minister for Transport, Daniel Nii Titus Glover, has appealed to the Inspector General of Police (IGP), David Asante-Apeatu, to consider a ban on the use of motorcycles and tricycles after 9pm.
Introducing such a ban, according to the deputy minister, is necessary in the fight against crime.
He made this call at a consultative meeting on the use of motorbikes and tricycles for commercial purposes to curb the menace of Okada Riders on Tuesday March 26.
The Minister said “I appeal to IGP that all motorbikes and tricycles should be banned of the streets of this country to be able to control crime.”
He explained that the use of motorcycles is contributing to the increase of crime in the country as crime perpetrators use it as their get-away tool.
Mr Glover observed that 2017 statistics from Road Safety Commission (RSC) revealed that 400 people died from motor crushes with commercial riders contribute 25% to this figure.
“The statistics showed that the age profile of these riders are between 18-37 and 70% of them are males, losing these lives will affect the productivity of the country” he added.
He later hinted that most of the provisions stated in the road traffic regulation passed in July 2012 have been adhered to even though the law enforcement agencies still face some challenges.
Section 128 (1) of the Road Traffic Regulations, 2012 (Legislative Instrument 2180), states: “The licensing authority shall not register a motorcycle to carry a fare-paying passenger.”
The use of motorcycles for commercial purposes in the country has increased, particularly in the Greater Accra Region, a resultant of the failure by the police to enforce the law.
Mr. Glover disclosed that the Ministry of Transport will not relent in their fight to minimise the levels of motor and car crushes on our streets.
The Director in charge of Planning and Programming at the National Road Safety Commission (NRSC), Ing. David OsafoAdonteng disclosed to the media that 411 deaths have been recorded from January-February this year out if which 108 are crushes from motorcycles.
He later indicated that consultative meetings will later be organised in the remaining 15 regions of the country.
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