NRSA urges police to arrest pedestrians who fail to use footbridges

The National Road Safety Authority (NRSA) has called on the Ghana Police Service's Motor Traffic and Transport Department (MTTD) to arrest and prosecute pedestrians who disregard designated footbridges, in an initiative aimed at reducing road crashes and fatalities. NRSA Director-General Abraham Amaliba emphasized that footbridges are essential for pedestrian safety and should not be used for decorative purposes.

He urged the MTTD to enforce strict adherence to road traffic regulations, particularly at locations where footbridges have been provided. According to the regulations, pedestrians who fail to use footbridges when they are available can face fines, imprisonment, or both. Amaliba made this call during the launch of the Safe Crossing, Safe Lives pedestrian safety campaign, which is aimed at promoting safe pedestrian behavior and the proper use of footbridges and other designated crossing facilities in high-risk locations across the Greater Accra Region, including Adentan, Madina, Lapaz, and Weija.

The campaign, an initiative of the Greater Accra Regional NRSA, seeks to address the growing issue of traders and hawkers encroaching on pedestrian walkways, which poses risks to pedestrians. Pedestrian knockdowns account for 33% of deaths from reported road crashes in Ghana, with 20,988 of the 63,599 road crash deaths between 1991 and 2025 resulting from such incidents.

NRSA is working with the police and other stakeholders to address road crashes, with a focus on effective enforcement and collaboration among all parties involved.