Metro Mass Bus Driver arrested for overloading

Two journalists in the region have caused the arrest of a Meto Mass driver for over loading.  The Journalist Joseph Ziem of the Daily Dispatch and Saka Alhassan of Filla Fm who were onboard the Sunyani   bus said several complains by passengers on board that they were overloading the bus received no attention from management of the company compelling the two to make a distress call to the Northern Regional Manager of the Road Safety Manager, Alexander Ayartah leading to the arrest of the driver at Buipe in the Central Gonja district. Mr. Akomea Manu, 45 was detained for some few minutes and charged for overloading. He will appear before a court of competent jurisdiction on Tuesday, 15 of September, 2014.  The bus with registration number AS 9340 Z, has a total capacity of 63 but took over 78 passengers. Speaking in an interview with Mr. Alexander Ayartah he said this particular case will be use as a case study since the National Manager of Metra Mass Transit Ltd was a former Road Safety manager in the country. He warned drivers who flout road safety regulations to be cautious or will face the full rigorous of the law under his leadership as a road safety manager in the region.

Metro Mass Transit Company convicted for overloading

The Tamale District Magistrate Court has cautioned a 45 year old driver with the state-owned Metro Mass Transit Company, Akomea Manu who was standing trial for overloading. On September 15, 2014 at about 2:05 PM two journalists on board a Tamale-Sunyani bound metro mass bus with registration number AS 9340 Z caused the arrest of Mr. Akomea Manu for over loading.  The Journalists Joseph Ziem of The Daily Dispatch and Saaka Alhassan of Fiila FM said several complaints by other passengers on board the bus which was being overloaded received no attention from the conductor and driver of the bus. This compelled the two journalists to make distress calls to the Northern Regional Manager of the Road National Road Safety Commission Mr. Alexander Ayartah leading to the arrest of the driver at Buipe in the Central Gonja district. Mr. Akomea Manu was detained for some few minutes and charged for overloading. Appearing before the Tamale District Magistrate Court two on 28^th October, Akomea Manu pleaded guilty but he was convicted and discharged by the Presiding Judge His Worship Augustine Essah.  Akomea Manu was charged by the Northern Regional Police Metro Transport and Traffic Department for failing to provide proper seating accommodation and carrying greater number of passengers.

91 people die in road accidents in the northern region

Ninety-one out of one hundred and fifty-five people have been killed between January and September this year in the Northern Region through motor accident. Twenty-nine people lost their lives in the first quarter, thirty-seven in the second quarter and twenty-five in the third quarter of 2014, Superintendent of Police and Head of the Police MTTD Blewushie Godwin Cashman told Fiila News in an interview. He revealed that 68 of the cases were fatal, 50 were serious while 36 were minor cases.  A total of twelve pedestrians were also knocked down by motorist. The Tamale Metropolis recorded the highest rate of accident cases with the least being Bole and Buipe towns.   

Police charged to go beyond inspecting licenses on high ways

The National Road Safety Commission (NRSC) in the Northern region has charged the Motor Transport and Traffic Department of the Ghana Police Service to go beyond inspecting only licenses and insurances on the high ways and educate drivers on safety measures on high ways. The commission says the police should help ensure safety and clearing unworthy vehicles on the roads in the country. The police service was also asked to always inquire from passengers the conduct of drivers when they are stopped at the various check points to ensure safety on the roads. Mr. Alexander Ayatah, Northern Regional Manager of the Commission was speaking to Fiila News on the commission’s readiness towards the Christmas festive season in the region. In Ghana, the month December is noted to be recording the highest number of fatalities as jubilant people travelled across the country to celebrate the festivity.  According to him, if the road safety job is left on the shoulders of the commission alone, the war against indiscipline and carnages on the roads cannot be wage. Mr. Ayartah therefore called for collaborative efforts from stakeholders and citizens in the country to ensure discipline hence, reduce the souring accidents figures in the region. He also tasked passengers to report reckless drivers to the police, since it a contract between passengers and drivers to send them to their destination safely. On the festive seasons, Mr. Ayartah said education campaigns are ongoing at the various bus terminals across the region to help reduce the accidents situation in the region. Meanwhile, ninety-one (91) out of one hundred and fifty-five (155) people have been killed between January and September this year in the Northern Region alone through motor accident.

High apathy towards waste management by residents in Tamale

refuse heaps

The Tamale metropolis which was touted as one of the cleanest cities in the country has suddenly lost the prestige glory to other cities due to the apathy of residents towards waste management. It is sudden to observe that the third largest city most resident do not still see the need to keep their surroundings cleans, since some thinks the responsibility lies on the assembly. The Waste Management Unit of the Tamale Metropolitan Assembly believes the high rate apathy among residents has contributed to the poor sanitary condition in the metropolis. The Deputy Coordinator of Waste Management at the Tamale Metropolitan Assembly, Hamidu Luliwe said this in an interview on Fiila FM’s. Mr. Luliwe says waste management should be a collective responsibility since outbreaks of diseases are not discriminatory. He emphasized that residents have a role to play in the management of waste in a city like Tamale. Mr. Luliwe further called for attitudinal change among residents in the collection and disposal of waste in the metropolis. On the Naming and Shaming of Untidy Communities, Mr. Luliwe named Victory Cinema, a suburb of the Tamale metropolis as one of the untidy communities adding to Tishegu, Salamba, Nyohini and Gumbihini. He however revealed that the assembly is setting up a sanitation court to prosecute resident on poor sanitary condition.