A member of the New Patriotic Party (NPP), Richard Anning, has called on authorities to strictly enforce laws regulating the operation of commercial passenger tricycles, popularly known as “Pragya,” across the country.
According to him, the growing number of Pragya on Ghana’s roads, coupled with alleged disregard for traffic regulations by some operators, could pose a serious threat to road safety if not properly addressed.
Speaking on Plan B FM’s EBAANOSEN programme hosted by Adomba De Starboy, Mr. Anning said specific regulations exist in Tema regarding the areas where Pragya operators are permitted to operate.
He urged the relevant authorities to enforce these regulations and sanction operators who violate them.
Mr. Anning also raised concerns about children operating Pragya, describing the practice as a violation of road traffic regulations. He further claimed that some drivers operate without valid driving licences and called for intensified checks to ensure that only qualified persons are allowed to drive the vehicles.
He attributed the rapid increase in Pragya operations partly to the relatively low cost of acquiring the vehicles and the ease with which they can be registered.
Mr. Anning further accused some operators of reckless driving, warning that continued disregard for road safety rules could contribute to an increase in road crashes.
He cautioned authorities against allowing the situation to escalate, drawing a comparison with the early stages of illegal mining, popularly known as galamsey, which he said was initially overlooked before developing into a major national challenge.
Mr. Anning therefore urged authorities to act early by enforcing existing laws while calling on Pragya operators to comply with road traffic regulations to help protect road users and prevent avoidable accidents.
By: Patience Amonoo
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