NRSA mandate drivers to undergo training in defensive driving, GPRTU calls on Gov’t to fulfill its part

The Ghana Private Road and Transport Directorate (GPRTU) is calling on government to fulfil its part as far as the mandatory defensive driving training is concerned.

Director in Charge of Planning and Programmes at the National Road Safety Authority (NRSA), David Osafo Adonteng has said, his outfit is determined to ensure that all commercial transport service providers undergo mandatory training in ‘defensive driving’.

According to him, the exercise will equip drivers with skills that will allow them to defend themselves and passengers against possible collisions caused by bad drivers, drunk drivers, and poor weather while reducing the increasing number of road accidents in the country.

“We have issued a directive that all commercial transport service providers must take their drivers through defensive driving and it is mandatory. We will use our authority to ensure that they do,” he told the media.

Majority of the road accidents Mr Adonteng said, is a result of unregulated motorcyclists. He, therefore, disclosed that apart from the training exercise, the NRSA, Police, and other stakeholders are working together to come up with policies that will reduce the menace.

“In the coming months, we are also looking at how we, police and other stakeholders together with Parliament would have to put something in place to regulate motorcycle usage in Ghana."

Reacting to this, Deputy Secretary in charge of the operation at GPRTU, Richard Yaw Amankwaa said his association is ever ready to abide by that directive but expects the government to address some concerns raised by the union.

He said they are expecting to have a meeting with the government to finalize the matter and determine the way forward.