Political apathy towards road safety, post-crash response

Road accidents in Ghana have reached alarming levels, causing significant loss of lives, injuries and economic hardship. 

Yet, despite the devastating impact of road crashes, none of the major political parties in Ghana have made road safety a priority in their manifestos.

This glaring omission underscores a dangerous neglect of an issue that affects every Ghanaian. It is time for the government to treat road safety as a national emergency and a national security issue, with immediate, comprehensive and sustained interventions.

In 2023, Ghana recorded 14,135 road accidents, resulting in 2,276 fatalities and 15,409 injuries.

This marked a slight decrease from 2022, which saw 14,960 accidents and 2,373 deaths.

Between January and June 2024, there were already 1,237 reported deaths due to road crashes. 

The economic cost of these crashes is staggering, with Ghana losing over $230 million annually due to road crashes.

This loss correlates to 1.7 per cent of the country's Gross Domestic Product.

It is worrying that political parties have continuously overlooked road safety in their policy documents.

Manifestos often focus on infrastructure development, job creation and education, but rarely do they outline clear strategies to reduce road crashes. 

There were no direct questions and comments on road safety during the recent vetting of Ministers designate for the related ministries.

This absence of commitment suggests a lack of recognition of the urgency of the issue. If political parties can promise better roads, why not promise safer roads?

Responsible

The government in power must be held responsible for the number of deaths resulting from road crashes. Road safety should be a key metric in assessing the performance of any administration.

Just as governments are scrutinised for their economic policies, healthcare systems and educational reforms, their effectiveness in reducing road accidents should also be a major factor in public appraisal.

If a government fails to implement strong road safety measures, it should be held accountable for the preventable loss of lives.

Regular publication of road accident statistics and independent evaluations should be used as benchmarks to measure progress or expose negligence.

The scale of road accidents in Ghana warrants immediate action from the highest levels of government.

Just as the government responds swiftly to health pandemics, natural disasters and security threats, road crashes must be treated with the same urgency.

The loss of lives on roads should not be seen as routine but as a crisis that demands immediate government intervention. 

Retooling, training

Retooling and training of the Rescue Teams in the Ghana National Fire Service with modern equipment and advanced Road Traffic Extrication skills to ensure rapid responses to accident, increased public education and stricter enforcement of traffic laws will help.

Beyond being a public health crisis, road accidents pose a serious national security threat.

The loss of productive citizens, including security personnel, medical professionals, and educators, weakens national development. 

Moreover, road crashes have socio-economic consequences that can destabilise communities, increase poverty levels and burden healthcare facilities.

If the safety of citizens is a key function of national security, then road safety should be treated as a top priority.

Road safety is not just a transportation issue—it is a matter of life and death, national security, and economic stability.

The Ghanaian government must acknowledge the urgency of the crisis and take decisive action.

Political parties must also rise to the occasion by making road safety a core part of their policy agendas. 

Until road safety is treated as a national emergency, Ghana will continue to suffer needless tragedies on its roads.

The time for action is now.

The writer is the Public Relations Officer,
Ghana National Fire Service, Central Region.
E-mail: Waz4all@Gmail.Com