Minister: Ghana loses 10% GDP through road accidents

Transport Minister Kwaku Ofori Asiamah has disclosed that Ghana has, over the last couple of years, lost almost 10 per cent of its GDP through road accidents.

According to him, statistics from the National Road Safety Authority indicate that road traffic accidents cost the country 1.6 per cent of GDP annually, which translates into about US$165million annually.

He made this disclosure when he addressed stakeholders at the launch of this year’s national road safety campaign, dubbed ‘Arrive Alive’.

“When you look at the statistics on how we are losing out, the GDP that we lose through accidents, it is almost 10 per cent. And most of these accidents could have been avoided, if we had exercised a little bit of patience,” he noted.

More husbands dying

According to the Transport Minister, more women are losing their husbands through road accidents.

“Out of 100 road accidents, you will get only two to be women drivers. The remaining 98 are men because women are so patient when they are driving. It is hard to see a woman drunk and driving. When you drink and drive, you will perish on the road. So, please, let us be careful when we hit the road,” he cautioned.

He added: “A lot of women are losing their husbands as a result of road accidents. Now, we have few men around, and so I will plead with you guys to be cautious on the road so that you will continue to live, marry the women and take good care of them for the country to benefit from you.”

‘Arrive Alive’

The ‘Arrive Alive’ or ‘Kodru Dwodwoo’ campaign seeks to caution road users about the need to observe road safety measures while on the road.

The objective is to minimise the levels of indiscipline among road users, policymakers and implementers by educating the general public to adopt safe road-use practices while in traffic as drivers, pedestrians, passengers, motorcyclists, tricyclists or bicyclists as well as advocating for the removal of laxity associated with road safety.

According to the Director-General of the National Road Safety Authority, Ing May Obiri-Yeboah, statistics about carnage on the country’s road paint a gloomy picture.

While acknowledging that road transport is most popular in Ghana, she noted that safety on the roads has become a key challenge, with avoidable accidents.

“We are aware that these crashes have led to the current incidents of fatalities and serious injuries that should have been avoided, if cautioned had been exercised. From January to August this year (2020), we have recorded a total number of 9,205 crashes, resulting in 1585 deaths, 1638 pedestrian knockdowns, 9,397 injuries involving 15,459 vehicles,” she revealed.