National Road Safety Authority Bill passed into law

The National Road Safety Authority Bill has been passed into law by Parliament.

The law, if assented to by President Nana Akufo-Addo, will transform the National Road Safety Commission into an Authority to better regulate activities in the road transport sector.

The Commission believes that the change of status will empower it to play a major role in coordinating and ensuring safety on our roads.

The Bill was worked on by the Road and Transport Committee of Parliament and the committee’s Chairman, Samuel Aye-Paye, outlined the importance of this development to Citi News.

“It is important we get a regulator that will be regulating the road safety activities in this country, therefore, the need to have the National Road Safety Authority.”

The legislator noted that the National Road Safety Authority will also be able to keep a closer eye on the standards being enforced by the Driver and Vehicle Licensing Authority (DVLA).

“If they are not of standard, this time the National Road Safety Authority will have the legal framework to check the DVLA,” Mr. Aye-Paye explained.

The National Road Safety Commission of Ghana was established by an Act of Parliament (NRSC Act 567 of 1999).

The Act mandates the NRSC to play the lead role in championing, promoting and coordinating road safety activities in the country.

The main objective of the National Road Safety Commission is to plan, develop and promote road safety and to coordinate policies related to road safety.

Executive Director of the Commission, Ing. (Mrs.) May Obiri-Yeboah in a statement said: “It has been long coming but worth the wait. This year marks our twentieth year as a Commission and the beginning of a new era. We have laboured for nearly a decade for this opportunity. It means more than a name change to us and we are determined to make it count for an improvement of our road safety situation.”