By Yussif Ibrahim
Kumasi, Aug. 23, GNA-The Ashanti Central Region in terms of the Police Administration, accounted for 45.85 per cent of fatalities recorded in the entire region between January and June, this year.
Out of 325 people who died on the roads, 149 happened within Ashanti Central, according to data at the regional office of the National Road Safety Authority (NRSA).
The region also recorded 1375 road accident cases which was the highest during the period, followed by Ashanti South (396) and Ashanti North (172) in that order.
The situation was not different in terms of a number of injuries with Ashanti Central recording 1489 compared to 597 and 265 recorded in Ashanti South and Ashanti North respectively.
A careful analysis of the data also shows that figures in cases reported, fatalities and injuries for the first half of 2023 have all increased in 2024, portraying a disturbing trend that requires urgent interventions.
It also revealed that the Suntreso Division contributed to the huge figures in the Ashanti Central Region, recording 196 cases followed by the KNUST Division (183) with Oforikrom recording the least cases of 36.
The Suntreso Division also recorded the highest number of cases of pedestrian knocks down with 57 cases followed by Central MTTD (36) and Asokwa Division (30).
Nkawie Division, however, emerged top in fatalities (26) followed by Tepa (23), and Suntreso (22).
Mr. Kwasi Agyenim Boateng, Regional Head, NRSA, told the Ghana News Agency (GNA) that the high number of cases in the Suntreso Division suggested that the area may be experiencing challenges such as heavy traffic, poor road conditions, and insufficient traffic control measures.
He said the division’s significant share of the number of cases meant it was a potential hotspot that required focused interventions, stressing the need for a detailed assessment to understand the root causes of the high incidence and implement targeted strategies to reduce the numbers.
With the KNUST Division being the home of one of the largest universities in Ghana, Mr Boateng believes high volumes of both vehicular and pedestrian traffic in the area were contributing to the number of cases recorded in the area.
He stressed the need to enhance pedestrian safety, particularly in student-dense areas, and improve traffic management around the university.
Speaking to the entire data, the Regional Head said the Ashanti Central Region was disproportionately affected by road safety incidents compared to the Ashanti North and South Regions.
This, he said, underscored the urgent need for more focused campaigns, resource allocation and targeted interventions in Ashanti Central to address the higher concentration of incidents.
He also made a strong case for improvement in road infrastructure, enforcing traffic laws, and enhancing emergency response services in the region.
GNA