The Deputy Eastern Regional Minister, Honourable Baba Jamal has launched the launch of Total Caravan for Safety held yesterday in the Suhum Kraboa Coaltar District. He said that road safety is a shared duty and the solution should not be for an individual or organisation but stakeholders in the road sector and the public as a whole. He therefore urged the Motor Traffic and Transport Unit (MTTU) of the Ghana Police Service to increase checks on the roads and arrest all offending drivers who defy traffic regulations.

 He also appealed to the law courts to place heavy fines on these drivers so as to serve as a deterrent to prospective offenders.

 The Director of Transport of the Ministry of Transportation, Mr. Lawrence Kumi stated that the
ministry is determined to play an active role to ensure that high safety standard are maintained on our roads and that the people are educated on safety measures and how to handle hydrocarbons which also contributes to some road accidents.

 He commended Total Petroleum Ghana Limited for their bold initiative in taking the road safety campaign to rural areas for maximum impact on the village dwellers.

 The Managing Director of Total Petroleum Ghana Limited, Mr. Jonathan Molapo, on his part, said that
the Total Caravan for Safety is to create public awareness in local communities and ensure that the message is well received. In addition, the campaign was to decrease the level of accidents.

 He added that they intend to inaugurate unit committees in the various localities to maintain the educational drive in order to bring change among residents.

The Chief Inspector of the National Petroleum Authority, Mr. Frank Arthur, remarked that from March 2010, all Bulk Road Vehicles (BRVs) transporting petroleum products from Tema Oil Refinery (TOR) or any other bulk loading depots will have to pass a stringent test before they receive the products.

Source: ISD (Evelyn Harvey, Suhum)