Road Traffic empowers committees in Nkhata Bay
The Directorate of Road Traffic and Safety Services has drilled safety committee members in Nkhata Bay District to promote adherence to traffic regulations.
In an interview on Thursday after launching the committee in the district, the directorate’s principal road transport officer Charles Maluwa said the team will complement traffic officers in the district.
He said: “It is not possible for us to reach every corner of the district.
“As such, in our National Road Safety Strategy, we are implementing from 2022 to 2030, we made recommendations that we have district road safety committees to manage issues related to their communities.”
Maluwa said each district will look at its challenges and solve them or make recommendations to the directorate to find interventions.
“The directorate will continue to intensify measures to ensure that people are protected on the road. Kabaza [motorcycle/bicycle taxi operators] should register, get training and licences,” he said.
Nkhata Bay district commissioner Rodgers Newa, who is also Nkhata Bay Road Safety Committee chairperson, commended the directorate for decentralising its services, saying it will help to reduce the number of accidents.
He said: “It is important that services such as these are decentralised 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 on how we will approach this programme.”
Newa said the committee will conduct awareness campaigns on the dangers of drying food products along the road.
Nkhata Bay taxi operators vice-chairperson Edward Mhone expressed optimism that the committee will help to reduce some of the challenges they face in their course of duty.
