Ghana’s road safety crisis needs emergency action – GhIE sounds alarm

Ghana's roads are facing a critical safety crisis, with the Ghana Institution of Engineering (GhIE) warning that the country may soon be considered unsafe for human use. Dr Charles Kwarteng Asafo-Adjei, a member of the Public Accountability Committee of GhIE, made this alarming statement during a recent interview on Joy FM's Super Morning Show.

The GhIE's infrastructure scorecard has placed Ghana at a concerning E2 rating in terms of road safety. Dr Asafo-Adjei emphasized that this grade signifies a precarious situation where roads could potentially be deemed unsuitable for human use.

He stressed that protecting lives should be the primary focus, rather than merely expanding infrastructure. According to Dr Asafo-Adjei, Ghana currently loses an average of eight people daily in road crashes, a number that has risen from around six deaths per day between 2001 and 2003. This translates to approximately 2,000 to 3,000 annual fatalities, not including those who suffer injuries or permanent disabilities.

The worsening road safety situation can be attributed to increasing demand for road transport, deteriorating infrastructure, and inadequate maintenance.

Expanding the road network alone is not sufficient, as vehicle numbers and transport demand are growing at a faster rate than infrastructure supply. Dr Asafo-Adjei also highlighted the strain on hospitals due to the influx of crash victims seeking emergency and long-term care. He called for better road maintenance, stricter enforcement of traffic regulations, ongoing public education, and stricter regulation of motorcycles and other high-risk vehicles along dangerous routes.