Maria Amakali
Windhoek
With the number of road accidents on the rise and lives being needlessly lost as a result, the Namibian police will be setting up temporary emergency centres to cater for peak-season emergencies.
According to Nampol spokesperson Deputy Commissioner Edwin Kanguatjivi, the objective behind the initiative is to ensure that there is rapid police and emergency response to those in need of it during the festive season, which is the time when most road accidents occur.
“These temporary emergency centres will be set up on roads that experience high traffic volumes. This will increase police presence on all major roads, especially the B1 and B2 highways,” said Kanguatjivi, who expressed the hope that this would save lives.
The temporary emergency centres will be set up at Etunda, between Otavi and Otjiwarongo, at Farm Success situated between Okahandja and Otjiwarongo, and at Wilhelmsdal, which is located between Okahandja and Karibib.
“These centres will operate on three shifts, 14-hours seven days a week and each base will host a mobile roadblock unit,” Kanguatjivi stated.
Kanguatjivi told New Era that although the main priority of these centres is to respond to road accidents and crashes, the centres are equipped to deal with others cases reported by members of the public.
“Depending of the jurisdiction, cases that are not constituted as road accidents will be referred to the nearest station,” Kanguatjivi noted. He further said that Nampol has made available inasfar as possible the required resources, so that they can attend to policing needs promptly and efficiently.
“We are equipped and ready to serve and protect. It is therefore advisable that drivers desist from driving under the influence, as they may end up spending Christmas behind bars,” Kanguatjivi warned.
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Image: Kanguatjivi-jpeg (by Nampa)
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