Ghana Police Welcomes Increased Sensitization for ‘Illiterate’ Drivers

The Motor Traffic and Transport Department (MTTD) of the Ghana Police Service has lauded the agenda of Crime Check Foundation (CCF) to increase knowledge of commercial drivers on the Road Traffic Act.

The agenda among other things seeks to reduce road crashes and the incarceration of poor and illiterate drivers who violate the law.

CCF seeks to rollout the programme together with the MTTD, which is the mandated Police Unit for the enforcement of road traffic laws and regulations in Ghana.

Speaking during courtesy call on the MTTD by CCF as part of the implementation of the Foundation’s OSIWA-funded ‘Decriminalizing Vagrancy Laws and Advocacy’ project, the Deputy Director-General for the MTTD, Superintendent Dr. Sasu Mensah said, majority of commercial drivers who commit road offences either have not seen the Road Traffic Act or they are simply unable to read the law that regulates their profession.

“Too many people are dying from road crashes and we are doing our part to stem the menace. We will be glad to partner with your organization to deepen sensitization on road safety. The Road Act is the manual for drivers, but these drivers especially commercial drivers are ignorant of it. Some are just not interested in taking time to read the Act,” he said.

Superintendent Sasu, therefore, welcomed CCF’s decision to complement the efforts of the MTTD to reduce road infractions through sensitization on the relevant portions of the Act.

He agreed with CCF, that, increased knowledge of the law will reduce violation of the law and contribute to the reduction in prison population, which is consistent with international best practice.

About the Project:

The courtesy call to the Police MTTD formed part of the implementation of the organization’s “Decriminalizing Vagrancy Laws and Advocacy” project in 12 Metropolitan, Municipal and District Assemblies in Greater Accra, Central and Ashanti Regions. The visit by CCF came on the heels of similar visits to other justice sector institutions such the Ghana Prisons Service, Legal Aid Commission, Commission on Human Rights and Administrative Justice, Directorate for Public Prosecutions of the Attorney-General’s Department, and National Commission for Civic Education. The main aim of the project is to create an enabling environment for vagrants (the homeless, head porters, street hawkers/vendors, motor riders, commercial drivers, etc.) to know, claim and exercise their rights to end criminalization of homeless persons and other categories of persons affected by vagrancy laws in Ghana.

About OSIWA:

Established in 2000, the Open Society Initiative for West Africa (OSIWA) is a grant-making and advocacy organization focused on equality, justice, democratic governance, human rights and knowledge generation. It is part of the global network of Open Society Foundations spread across 37 countries around the world.  

By Cosmos Akorli