Friday, August 15, 2008

NO LICENCE FOR DRUNG DRIVING

THE reported sale of alcoholic beverages at lorry stations has caused local officials of the Ghana Private Road Transport Union (GPRTU) and the Accra Metropolitan Assembly (AMA) to pitch into each other in a blame game as to who is responsible for such an unhealthy trade.
While the GPRTU maintains that the AMA was responsible for issuing permits to vendors to sell alcoholic beverages at the stations, the Director at the Metro Public Health Department of the AMA rebuts that view.
Nobody, in his right senses, will recommend that drivers take alcoholic beverages before embarking on their journeys. One of the popular phrases by road safety crusaders has always been, “If you drink, don’t drive, if you drive, don’t drink.”
Hence, in as much as local GPRTU officials have the right in bemoaning the activities of alcoholic beverage vendors at their stations, their remonstrance must not end there.
GPRTU and other transport unions over the years have exercised sanctioning powers over its members and that is clearly expressed in the fact that some drivers have forfeited membership of unions or have been compelled to pay fines for their misdemeanours.
In such vein, one finds it difficult to understand why the union would attempt to paint a picture of helplessness on their part as far as curbing the disturbing sale of alcoholic beverages at lorry stations is concerned.
One could argue that by virtue of the fact that the union executives are at the stations to monitor activities, checking the abuse of alcoholic beverages among drivers should not be an arduous task.
Besides, invoking its enforcement and regulatory powers, the GPRTU can also organise education programmes to sensitise their members to the dangers of drunk-driving.
No one needs to tell us that drivers may not necessarily take alcoholic beverages sold at the station but may go outside the station to take hard liquor.
The country continues to witness an alarming spate of motor accidents and it is known that road accidents kill more Ghanaians in a year than HIV/AIDS. Clearly, there is the need to step up road safety campaigns and educate drivers and passengers to be each other’s keeper.
Education on the dangers of drunk-driving must not preclude the vendors of alcoholic beverages as they need to understand the dangers associated with their business. In the end, there is the need to emphasise the fact that the alcoholic vendor can also suffer a loss as a result of road accidents, be it themselves or their relatives.
The quest to address this canker must not be seen as the responsibility of the AMA, GPRTU or the passenger alone. It is a collective responsibility and all hands must be on deck.
The DAILY GRAPHIC also wishes to challenge the various metropolitan, municipal and district assemblies to intensify their monitoring and supervisory activities at the various lorry stations.
We think that both the AMA and the GPRTU will find an effective way of enforcing the regulations governing the operation of any business in their areas of jurisdiction. In doing so, they would require the support of the public, who can play a vital role by sounding the alarm any time our laws are breached.

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