Member of Parliament for Tema East Constituency, Mr Isaac Ashai Odamtten, has expressed concern about unauthorised speed ramps which he said contributes to road accidents and admonished Communities to stop the construction of illegal speed ramps.
“It is erroneous to conclude that simply constructing speed ramps would automatically reduce speed and road accidents, on the contrarily, such illegal speed ramps which constitute unnecessary traffic obstruction have contributed to accidents in those communities.
“These illegal speed ramps are poorly constructed, without any warning signage to the approaching vehicle, this is a dangerous and criminal act,” Mr Odamtten stated at the Ghana News Agency Tema Regional Office and MTTD road safety campaign platform.
The GNA-Tema and MTTD Road Safety Project seeks to actively create consistent and systematic weekly awareness advocacy on the need to be cautious on the road as a user, educate all road users of their respective responsibilities, and sensitize drivers, especially on the tenets of road safety regulations, rules and laws.
Mr Odamtten explained: “If there was any form of accident in a particular jurisdiction, the community members quickly mobilise, construct speed ramps of no standard out of anger to prevent accidents.
“So, they end up putting sticks, anchor ropes, blocks, stones among others on or in the road to stop speeding and accidents this act is rather dangerous and in as much as we have to reduce speed, we also do not need to inconvenient someone using the road or get involved in acts of illegality.”
He said any act of obstruction contributes to accidents, so, “let us desist from the creation of unauthorised speed ramps in our communities.”
He said the law forbids authorised persons or groups from putting any form of objects, implements, or any form of materials which has not been sanctioned by law on the road.
According to the Tema East MP, Section 22 of the Road Traffic Regulation Act 2012: “a person commits an offence if without lawful authority or reasonable excuse that person causes anything to be on or over the road.
“Interferes with motor vehicle, trailer or cycle, obstructs direct or indirectly with any traffic equipment in such circumstance it will be obvious to a reasonable person that to do so would be dangerous,” he said.
Mr Odamtten who is a former Tema Metropolitan Chief Executive entreated the various Assembly members and the committee leaders to talk to their people about the illegal speed ramps construction as it was endangering the same lives they were trying to protect.
He advised communities to go through the right channels if they want speed ramps to be constructed for them to have approved ones with signage.
Mr Francis Ameyibor, Ghana News Agency Tema Regional Manager called on community leaders to also educate the people about the proper means for crossing highways, especially communities living along the highways and motorways.
Source: GNA