District road safety committee launched in Nkhata Bay

Nkhata Bay, August 22, Mana: The Directorate of Road Traffic and Safety Services launched district road safety committee in Nkhata Bay on Thursday to facilitate enforcement of road traffic issues at district level.

In an interview after the launching the committee at Nkhata Bay District council lodge, Principal Road Transport Officer at the Directorate of Road Traffic and Safety Services Charles Maluwa said the committee will help to beef up human capital challenges in the directorate.

“With the human capacity that we have, it is not possible for us to reach every corner of the country.

“As such in our national road safety strategy that we are implementing from 2022 up to 2030 we made recommendations that we have district road safety committees that will be managing issues related to their communities hence the formation of the first committee here in Nkhata Bay”, Maluwa said.

According to Maluwa, each district will look at its challenges and solve them the way they are and give recommendations to the directorate to find interventions from partners so that vulnerable road users are protected.

“The directorate will continue to intensify measures to make sure that people are protected on the road like having Kabaza operators registered in Malawi Transport Information System so that they get numbers, trained and be given licenses at affordable prices”, Maluwa added.

He therefore assured the committee of the full support so that they perform to their expectations.

In his remarks Nkhata Bay District Commissioner( DC), Rodgers Newa who happens to be the Chairperson of the Nkhata Bay road safety committee commended the Directorate of Road Traffic and Safety Services for decentralizing their services to the district as this will help to reduce the level of accidents caused by motorists.

“It is important that services like these are decentralized because it will empower and give chance to people to find solutions to issues that affect them.

“As a new committee, we will go through the terms of reference and draw a road map as how we will approach this program as Nkhata Bay,’ Newa said.

According to Newa the committee will have civic education related activities through various possible channels sensitizing communities about the dangers of drying food products along the road among others so that the district continues register decrease in road accidents as per 2024 first quarterly report.

The DC therefore said he will strive to make Nkhata Bay Road safety committee a point of reference to other districts since it the first of its kind to be formulated in the country.

Vice Chairperson of Nkhata Bay taxi operators Edward Mhone expressed optimism that the committee will help to reduce some of the challenges they face in their course of duty and promised full support to the committee.

The comprises membership from different sectors like Education, Health, Civil society Organization, Community Police among others, Traditional leaders among others.