Investigate recent land, water accidents

Accra, June 8, GNA – The Chartered Institute of Logistics and Transport (CILT) Ghana has asked the government to investigate the cause of recent land and water accidents.

A statement signed by Mr Mark A. Amoamah, the National President of CILT, said findings of the investigation should be made public for stakeholders to pick lessons from it.

It urged state actors to strengthen law enforcement, and increased responsive road safety education.

The statement called for the dualisation of sections of the N1 and N6 Highways, sustainable vehicle inspection and maintenance regimes, data collection and analysis and continuous collaboration among state actors.

It said the Institute was saddened about the recent road crashes and water transport accidents and called for steps to ensure safety to boost economic growth.

The country witnessed two major road crashes and a boat disaster that resulted in the injury, missing and death of several people.

According to statistics from the National Road Safety Authority, the year 2021 recorded 16,182 road traffic crashes that claimed 2,970 lives and left 15,935 with degrees of injuries.

The statement said the consequences of the crashes were devastating as they inflicted immeasurable pain and suffering on individuals, families, communities and hindered the progress and development of the nation.

The underlying causes, it said, included reckless driving, over-speeding, drunk driving, fatigue driving, poor road infrastructure, inadequate vehicle maintenance, and the lack of adherence to road traffic regulations.

The statement appealed to the government to retool the Ghana Maritime Authority to provide resources to cover vulnerable areas on water bodies to ensure safety compliance.

GNA