The National Road Safety Authority (NRSA) has raised concerns about the country’s persistent challenges in enforcing traffic laws, despite the existence of robust policies and regulations.
This follows the Driver and Vehicle Licensing Authority’s (DVLA) recent rollout of over 40 instant offenses and corresponding fees for various road traffic infractions and delinquencies.
The DVLA’s Compliance and Enforcement Unit released a comprehensive list of roadside inspection defects, offenses, and the associated penalties, aimed at promoting safer road practices and reducing indiscipline among drivers.
Reacting to the development, Planning Manager at the NRSA, Felix Owusu, described the move as a step in the right direction.
Speaking on Morning Starr with Joshua Kodjo Mensah on Thursday, June 19, he stressed that while most drivers are fully aware of the law, many intentionally flout traffic regulations.
READ: GES probes alleged BECE candidates barred for lateness – Haruna Iddrisu
“In Ghana, we have so many good laws and policies, but sometimes the issue has to do with enforcement of these regulations and policies. Even as a country, we do not even have the requisite logistics to be able to enforce some of the things. And so periodically, as and when we get the necessary or the requisite tools and processes, then we help to enforce some of these things,” he explained.
Meanwhile, Acting Chief Executive Officer of the DVLA, Julius Neequaye Kotey, has clarified that the fees attached to traffic offenses are not new.
READ: Education Minister pledges infrastructure upgrade for schools during BECE monitoring
He noted that the delinquency charges have been in existence since 2012 and are not a recent initiative introduced under his administration.
The DVLA hopes that the publication of these offenses and penalties will encourage greater compliance and improve road safety nationwide.
Source: Ghana/Starrfm.com.gh/Hamdia Mohammed
