Security expert urges audits for inter-city bus safety

Dr. Jones Opoku-Ware, a criminologist at the Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology (KNUST), has called for security audits of inter-city buses to address highway robberies.

The Kumasi-Accra highway, notorious for road accidents, also faces frequent robberies targeting night travellers.

A recent video circulating on social media revealed a swift escape by a minibus driver and passengers from a gunpoint attack on a poorly lit road.

In response to heightened security concerns, Dr. Opoku-Ware in an interview on Joy FM suggested comprehensive security audits, including the installation of CCTV cameras at commercial terminals and on inter-city buses, to screen passengers.

CCTV footage captured on the Accra-Kumasi highway depicted suspected robbers, numbering close to eight, approaching a 2M Express minivan, prompting the driver to quickly reverse to ensure passengers' safety.

The footage showed the minibus, trailing another vehicle, suddenly halting, leading individuals from the preceding vehicle to flee amid gunshots. To avoid danger, the bus driver promptly reversed until finding a safe location on the road.

Security experts attribute such incidents to poor road illumination and limited police surveillance on the highway.

Dr. Opoku-Ware emphasized the audacity of highway robberies, highlighting the ease facilitated by poorly lit roads and inadequate police presence.

“The brazen nature of these robberies, especially highway robberies, is what we have to address. Looking at the nature of our roads, which are often poorly lit, makes it very easy for people to undertake such operations,” explained Dr. Opoku-Ware.

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