The National Road Safety Authority (NRSA), as part of exercising its mandate as the regulatory body for the road transport service industry, Wednesday issued five fresh directives to commercial road transport operators to comply with, from April 1, 2021.

Head of Regulation, Inspectorate and Compliance, Kwame Kodua said there are sanctions and fines for transport operators who refuse to observe national safety practices.

He noted that “because of lack of sanctions and punitive consequences, a lot more institutions take to their will.”

According to him, there is the opportunity to ensure compliance which will indicate timelines for you to carry out or countermeasures, “if you fail to do that, there’s an opportunity to suspend your operations.”

Mr Kodua further mentioned that the law under the authority also creates an opportunity for fines and penalties.

“For instance, a failure to carry out recommendations and directives, administrative penalties of between ¢5,000 and ¢20,000 penalty units may be applied.

“The law ultimately creates an opportunity for us to seek a court order to enforce any of these directives or measures that are calculated to prevent the occurrence of such practices.”

He stated that the NRSA will not hesitate in applying these sanctions to culprits to ensure the directives are enforced.

“If you fail to do that, there is an opportunity to suspend your operations,” he stated.

Reacting to an incident involving an Aduana footballer who allegedly knocked a police officer down on Tuesday, leading to the officer’s death, Mr Kodua described the occurrence as disappointing.

“I am disappointed that a footballer who has such respect will indulge in the sort of conduct that has been reported to have taken place.”

He stated that such celebrities should not be given any preferential treatment due to their status in society.

“I think, first of all, nobody, absolutely nobody is against the laws of our country including the traffic laws of the country.

I think the law should take its course, it should not make an exception because he is a footballer so that other footballers and persons of high rankings status in the society will get to appreciate the existence of some of these laws or rules that we overlook.”

The Regulation, Inspectorate and Compliance boss urged celebrities to lead by example as a lot is expected of them.