The Minister for Transport, Hon. Kwaku Ofori Asiamah has emphasised the importance of addressing road safety concerns for socio-economic growth and the well-being of citizens and outlined the dire situation of road accidents and fatalities, urging immediate action to prevent further tragedies.

He said that over 10,000 crashes are recorded annually and a significant portion of the victims fall within the economically productive age range. The toll on families and the economy cannot be understated. “Tragically, just the day before the conference, a devastating accident claimed the lives of three school children and a teacher, this serves as a stark reminder of the urgent need for effective measures to prevent such occurrences”, he added.

The Hon. Minister made these remarks at this year’s Road Safety Leaders Conference organized by the National Road Safety Authority, under the theme, "Strengthening Collaboration with Innovation to Sustain Crashes Injuries and Deaths (CID) Reductions in 2024 and Beyond”. The conference highlighted the necessity for a multifaceted approach to road safety management. This approach included public education, awareness campaigns, enforcement of regulations, and infrastructure improvements.

Hon Ofori Asiamah acknowledged the Government's efforts towards road safety, which included the establishment of an Inter-Ministerial Committee to address road traffic crashes. He outlined several key interventions including scaling up nationwide road safety campaigns, enforcing regulations for driver rest periods and vehicle checks, and installing speed limiters in certain vehicles, among others to reduce road crashes.

He further mentioned that the government was committed to leveraging technology to enhance road safety. Therefore, the launch of the Transport-Ghana digital platform aimed at modernizing the public transport system and making a significant step towards improving efficiency and compliance with regulations.

He touched on the forthcoming revisions to road traffic regulations to accommodate emerging technologies like electric and autonomous vehicles. He added plans were underway to deploy Traffic Enforcement Devices by the Motor Traffic and Transport Department (MTTD) of the Ghana Police Service signifying a shift towards more efficient and automated enforcement of traffic laws.

The Minister noted that stakeholders should be inspired and motivated to continue their efforts in improving road safety across the country. As the nation collectively commits to this cause.

He urged participants to use the conference as an opportunity to exchange ideas and best practices for improving road safety, stating it was the collective responsibility of all stakeholders and the Government.

He called for a unified action to create a safer and more sustainable road transport system to reduce road accidents and save lives on Ghana's roads.