Background

What is happening on our roads? Over the past month, we have witnessed a spate of accidents that has brought unbearable sorrow and hardships to many Ghanaian families. Bread winners, mothers, fathers and loved ones have all perished in avoidable motor accidents.

Within a short period of two weeks, 8 people lost their lives at Mankesim; 21 people perished at Zagyuri near Tamale and last month at Mape in the Volta Region 20 people died on the spot when a MMT bus ran into a stationary vehicle. What makes the Zagyuri accident more tragic is, the dead were travelling in a mammy truck constructed for 3 passengers but was carrying 100 passengers. What can and must be done about this carnage on our roads?


In the course of my job, I have to drive three times a week from Accra – Ho. The road is perfect, nice scenery, lovely landscapes, humps at periodic intervals, 50 mile maximum speed limit at Atimpoku and other towns but the speed and actions of some of the commercial and private drivers plying this scenic route leaves a lot to be desired.

One has to be careful, watchful, alert and most important pray for divine intervention for safe arrival. Vehicles which are old, decrepit, bulging tyres, un-roadworthy will zoom past at 100miles per hour without a care in this world. Most of the 50 mile speed limit signs at the townships on the road must as well be placed in Hell - it is totally disregarded by reckless, selfish and uncaring drivers.

As a nation, Ghanaians enjoy and thrive on silliness and mediocrity. Serious national issues are debated on prime time- time TV and Radio as “Kwaku- Ananse stories”. For example, Ghanaians in their usual fatalistic joke syndrome have named the Ford Transit people carrier “wa kra fie”- have you said your goodbyes. A vehicle that tries to get to Kumasi from Accra under 4 hours (on our uneven, potholed single carriageway roads) - simple madness is hailed as a fast arrival. Instead of passengers and the GPRTU insisting on a 5 hour minimum journey time from Accra- Kumasi, we all oblige and accept the modus- operandi. That is our motherland for you.

There is no doubt that Ghana is being deprived through road accidents of its valuable human resources for national development. Motor accidents are fast becoming the number one ‘deadly disease’ in Ghana.

The statistics available at the National Road Safety Commission (NRSC) reveal horrifying and startling figures. What should Ghana do to stop this menace? Does it need to take a knee jerk or ad hoc measures to the problem or does it need to take a holistic approach to this cancerous phenomenon called ‘motor accidents?

Statistics

Let us examine some of the statistics. In 2001, Ghana was rated as the second highest road traffic accident-prone nation among 6 West African countries with 73 deaths per 1,000 accidents. According to the records of the (NRSC) between 1991 and 2006,154,348 road accidents were recorded in the country. During the same period 189,000 casualties were recorded.

Out of these total figures, Accra which constitutes 15% of Ghana’s population recorded one fifth (23.6%) of the casualties. A detailed analysis of the road accident statistics shows that 42% killed annually were pedestrians, over 60% were economically active in the age group 18-55 and 70% were males.



Economic Cost


There is the human and economic cost to this carnage- the young ones who will never see their parents, widows, loved ones and young people whose lives have been cut short and the tragic consequences of whole communities losing precious members.

The carnage on our roads is also a direct threat to foreign direct investment as no investor would like to invest in a nation where roads are death traps and some drivers have a pact with the devil.


In real monetary terms, Ghana loses around GHc 165, 00 per year, representing 1.6% of its annual Gross Domestic product (GDP). This occurs through medical bills of victims, damage to vehicles, insurance cost among others.


Human Face.


Every life is precious and Ghana needs all its human resource and talents to develop. Many Ghanaians of all ages have lost their lives through reckless driving. For example, just about 3 years ago Ghana lost 3 of its 5 urologists through a road accident. Also worth mentioning is the tragic death of Mr Ferdinand Ayim, Special Assistant to the former Minister of Tourism, Child Rights Activists, Alfred Appiah; Prince Hanan a former President of Ghana National Students Union all had their lives cut short by reckless and indiscipline driving.

Almost every Ghanaian has experienced a death in the family through motor accident or knows of a friend, neighbour, colleague at work, community member who has lost a loved one through the actions of mad drivers.

3 Members of Parliament Alhaji Kwadwo Mahama, Mr Osei Kwaku and John Achuliwor all lost their lives in motor accidents. Not to forget other Ghanaian celebrities such as Suzy Williams, Terry Bonchaka and Kwame Owusu Ansah.


And to top it all this carnage affects the Presidency with all its motorcade and experienced drivers (haba). For example, between 2000 and 2007 ex President Kufuor’s convoy had at least 3 serious accidents leading to the deaths of 6 security officers. Ex President Rawlings motorcade was also involved in an accident on the Tema Motorway and just 3 months ago the first lady Mrs Naadu Mills’s convoy was involved in a collision at Brong- Ahafo.


What are the causes?

As always in Ghana there are two schools of thought to every social and economic issue- the scientific and evidence base school of thought and the ‘palm-wine’ school of thought. The empirical evidence states that the main causes of road accidents in Ghana are:


• Lack of maintenance of vehicles;
• Over-loading;
• Fatigue driving
• Drunk – driving and over speeding
• Poor nature of the roads
• Complete Disregard for traffic regulations
• Indiscriminate use of the road by pedestrians.


What about the palm-wine theory. This school of thought is steeped in tradition, blame – culture, curses and downright idiocy. For example, commercial drivers will blame their grandmothers and curses for accidents and therefore not bother to maintain their vehicles. Any rational discussion will be thrown out of the window because the gods, deities, jealous neighbour, aunties are to blame. This view has led to many accidents and is not worth exploring further as it is simply bunkum and irrational.


Joined up Solutions


All the experts agree that no one single solution or anti-dote can resolve or solve the almost endemic road accident malaise in Ghana. However, we must start from somewhere. I applaud the efforts of the Chief Executive of the DVLA (Justice Amegashie) for, committing a lot of resources and efforts into accident prevention projects.


National Government must also collaborate effectively with the Ghana Road Safety Commission (GRSC), Motor traffic Unit(MTU), Driving, Vehicle and Licensing Authority (DVLA), the National Association of Driving Schools, (NADS) , National Insurance Commission(NIC) and the Media in ensuring that Ghana’s transportation system becomes the safest in Africa.


Although the GRSC is committed to achieve its target of reducing road traffic accident fatalities on a yearly basis it must pro- actively work with the police service to rigorously enforce traffic laws.


The Government must as a matter of urgency intensify its public education exercise on road safety. Traffic Inspectors must be based in every major transport hub to advice drivers of the need to be circumspect whilst in charge of a motor vehicle.


As a matter of urgency the Government must ensure that there is not one drinking bar at any of our transport stations as the consumption of our local gin prior to long journeys by commercial drivers contributes to fatigue and tiredness. It is heartening to note that the Ministry of Road and Transport and the National Co-ordinating Council have developed regular workshops, seminars and symposiums for all stakeholders in the industry.

Hopefully, as a nation it is hoped that we will finally come to grips with this sad situation. Maybe the Churches and Mosques will take it upon themselves to educate their congregation on the real causes of accidents not the phantom fairy- tale excuses.