Cabinet is soon expected to announce its decision on whether to allow engine powered tricycles or not for commercial mobility in Ghana.
According to the Executive Director of the National Road Safety Authority, the stakeholders are awaiting such crucial decision following a committee’s report that has been submitted to the government.
The engine powered tricycles popularly known as motorking or yellow –yellow up north, pragia in the middle belt and okada in south. As it stands, the road traffic act does not make room for the commercial use of such motorbikes, however issue of commercialization of engine powered motor cycles has become a national concern and has assumed political, socio-economic and cultural dimensions.
With the World Health organization (WHO) predicting that road traffic injuries will become the fifth most common cause of death globally by 2030, government across the globe are therefore pushing for safer and more sustainable mobility systems for their people.
Road traffic enforcers including the police previously waged war on the use of these motorbikes not only for safety reasons, but to also check against crime, yet their efforts yielded little success.
That notwithstanding, the proponents also argue that using engine powered tricycles thus addresses deficits in transportation most especially for the rural and urban poor who have no other alternatives. For others it’s about livelihoods and closing the unemployment gap for the riders and their families.
Following the back and forth, the Ministry of Transport, last year set up a committee that embarked on a nationwide activity by engaging and soliciting the views of Ghanaians on the newer means of commercial transport. The NRSA boss, Mary Obiri Yeboah explained further to Diamond News in an exclusive interview.
Meanwhile, the deaths in a Monday dawn accident along the Buipe – Kintampo stretch has increased to 35. 27 of the bodies were burnt beyond recognition.
The Yutong bus collision with a Sprinter bus with registration number AS 1801-18 on the Kintampo-Tamale Highway between Dawadawa 2 and Kawampe, also recorded 6 injuries that are all in critical condition.
Source: Nelson Adanuti Nyadror | www.diamondfmonline.com | Ghana
