By Anthony Adongo Apubeo
Bolgatanga, Dec. 25, GNA – Mr Donatus Atanga Akamugri, Upper East Regional Minister, has expressed concern over the persistently high incidence of road traffic accidents in the Region, describing the situation as unacceptable and calling for urgent collective action to save lives.
Mr Akamugri noted that motorcycle crashes continue to account for the majority of road traffic accidents in the region, a trend he said was particularly worrying as the festive season approached—a period often associated with increased travel, social activities and risky road behaviour.
He therefore urged the Ghana Police Service, the National Road Safety Authority (NRSA) and the Municipal and District Assemblies to intensify enforcement of traffic regulations, strengthen public education and scale up road safety sensitisation across communities.
“The current trend is alarming and demands collective action from all stakeholders,” the Regional Minister stated, stressing that enforcement must go hand in hand with sustained education to change attitudes towards road use.
According to statistics from the NRSA, 89 cases involving 153 vehicles were recorded in road crashes in the region from January to November 2025, resulting in 58 deaths, 127 injuries and 10 pedestrians being knocked down.
Out of the total cases recorded, motorcycle-related crashes accounted for 102, representing 67 per cent, with more youth involved in the incidents.
Mr Akamugri cautioned the youth to exercise restraint and responsibility, especially with regard to alcohol consumption and motorcycle use, which he said had become the leading contributors to fatal crashes in the region.
“As Regional Minister, I am personally leading the charge in advocating responsible road use and heightened vigilance,” he said, emphasising that every life mattered and that the loss of even one life was one too many.
He underscored that protecting lives remained central to the region’s development agenda and aligned with the broader national vision of President John Dramani Mahama’s Resetting Ghana Agenda, which prioritises safety, discipline and the wellbeing of citizens.
Mr Akamugri appealed to motorists, motorcyclists and pedestrians alike to observe traffic regulations and remain vigilant on the roads, noting that road safety was a shared responsibility that required commitment from all road users.
Speaking in an interview with the Ghana News Agency, Mr Eric Anokye Fordjour, Acting Regional Head of the NRSA, said the Authority was committed to ensuring road safety and had intensified public education in schools, mosques, churches and other public places to encourage adherence to road safety rules and regulations, especially as the yuletide approaches.
Mr Fordjour cautioned the youth against alcohol and substance abuse, noting that such behaviours often led to road crashes and had contributed significantly to the accidents recorded annually in the region.
“We want to urge motorcycle users to always wear crash helmets before riding, because that is their safety guarantee, especially during this festive season,” he said.
GNA
Edited by Caesar Abagali/Lydia Kukua Asamoah