Accra-Ghana, Nov. 21, GNA – The Accra Metropolitan Assembly (AMA) has joined road safety stakeholder institutions to commemorate this year’s World Day of Remembrance for Road Traffic Victims at the Apenkwa – Achimota interchange in Accra.
The other organisations are the National Road Safety Authority (NRSA), Ministry of Transport, the Bloomberg Philanthropies Initiative for Global Road Safety, the Ghana Police Service, civil society organisations and road transport unions.
This year’s World Day of Remembrance for Road Traffic Victims puts the spotlight on “Justice.”
The justice entails traffic law enforcement, thorough investigation after a crash to find out if a crime was committed and to prevent recurrence, criminal prosecution where appropriate and civil compensation are all part of the justice system.
The Day is marked annually and is a high-profile global event to remember the many millions killed and injured on roads and to acknowledge the suffering of all affected victims.
They also visited and donated some items and undisclosed sums of money to some road crash victims at Mallam Junction and Awoshie in Accra.
Mrs Elizabeth Kwatsoe Tawiah Sackey, the Accra Metropolitan Chief Executive in a speech said the AMA was committed to road safety and called on all agencies to join forces to tackle the menace of road accidents in the communities, particularly at the Apenkwa – Achimota interchange.
She said Apenkwa – Achimota overhead had been recording the highest number of crashes within the entire city space of Accra and urged stakeholders to recognize the plight of pedestrians crossing this road at unsafe spots and do their utmost best by putting in place interventions to ensure the reduction of crashes.
“For the interim, pedestrians crossing from one end of the road at this spot to the other are cautioned to use the pedestrian walkway provided to save them from collisions with oncoming vehicles,” she advised.
Mrs Sackey charged all road users to abide by the safety rules, saying drivers must desist from drink driving, fasten their seatbelts and reduce speeds. Motor riders are also cautioned to wear their helmet as they ride, to help promote safety as we commute within the metropolis.
She stated: “Our hearts go out to all the families, friends, and colleagues who have lost close relatives and friends to road traffic crashes most especially at the Apenkwa – Achimota interchange. May the good lord comfort your hearts as you go through these painful times.”
Mr David Osafo Adonteng, the Acting Director General of the NRSA said from January to October, 2022 the road crash death recorded stood at 1,985 and that they would do their best to put in place interventions to resolve the dangerous nature of crossing areas in the city.
He said the NRSA with its partners had been able to reduce road crashes by 18 per cent, stating that it was unprecedented and that they would continue with the road safety advocacy to cut down on the menace as the Christmas festivities approach.
The Reverend Cyril Crabbe, President of the Accident Victims Support Unit appealed to philanthropists, civil society organisations and corporate bodies to assist the Unit with vehicle to enable them to reach out to accidents victims.
He called for the justice system to be looked at as it related to road crash victims for thorough investigation after a crash to find out if a crime was committed for prosecution, where appropriate and civil compensation paid.
Some of the accident victims who were present at the event called for affordable cost of treatment of road crash injuries, especially in the area of orthopaedic charges while urging drivers to exercise restraint on the roads and to apply all the traffic protocols to save lives.
