The Deputy Western Regional Police Commander, ACP Edmund Bosompem, has called on motorists to exercise the greatest caution to avoid accidents during the fast approaching Christmas and New Year festivities.
He urged drivers not to take undue advantage of the influx of passengers during the yuletide festivities to engage in speeding, which might lead to road accidents.
ACP Bosompem stated this in an interview with journalists after police personnel in the Western Region had embarked on a walk to mark this year’s Police Week celebration last Saturday.
He also cautioned drivers to desist from wrongful overtaking and drunk-driving. He observed that greater percentage of road accidents was due to human errors, and added that it was imperative for the police to be alert in ensuring that drivers did the right things to save lives this Christmas.
He indicated that the police would intensify its road safety education during the week celebration on radio stations, churches and mosques.
” We will also visit the lorry stations to educate the drivers on the need to thoroughly check their vehicles before they are loaded to ensure that both vehicles and drivers are in good condition before they set off”, he added.
He admonished drivers to desist from overloading, unnecessary overtaking and speeding, saying “when these were prevented we will have an accident-free yuletide”.
He also charged passengers to call drivers to order when they misbehave since their lives are at stake in such situations.
He indicated that police personnel would collectively galvanise and redirect their efforts towards making the Ghana Police Service the best in Africa.
ACP Bosompem stressed the need for the police to have closer relationship with the public in the discharge of their duties. He indicated that it was necessary to strengthen the police/civilian cooperation to fight crime in the country.
According to him, crime prevention is everybody’s business, saying “it is the duty of the public to expose people who indulge in armed robbery, peddling of drugs and organised crime, among others”.
He then urged the public to volunteer information that could help track criminals in the society.
From Emmanuel Opoku, Takoradi