Ghana losing $300 million yearly through accidents

Ghana loses 300 million dollars yearly through road accidents, a summary of road accidents and their effect on the economy by the Agency for Sustainable Development (ASD), a developmental organisation, has said.

It said the loss covered vehicle damage, hospital treatment and loss of working capacity apart from the human cost.

The ASD is scheduled to organise a regional training workshop for drivers in the Volta region from May 5 to 7, this year under the theme "Development Organisations' response to the indiscipline and subsequent carnage on our roads: the time of prevention is now".

The statement said the rate of road accidents in the country "is a big disincentive to our efforts to generate substantial foreign exchange through the fastest growing industry, tourism".

It noted that in 2001 Ghana was rated the second highest road traffic accident-prone among six West African countries with 73 deaths per 10,000 accidents.

"In August 2002 it was observed that more than 2,000 people were killed and tens of thousands more injured in road accidents every year".

A World Health Organisation (WHO) study projects that by 2020 road accidents would be the third highest cause of death in developing countries including Ghana.

The workshop is part of efforts by the organisers to complement the work of the National Road Safety Commission (NRSC) to curb the high rate of accidents in the country, the statement signed by Mr Fred Agbogbo said.

"Let us help reduce the carnage on our roads before it reduces us," it concluded.

The Volta Regional Co-ordinating Council has recommended the workshop to District Assemblies, departments and institutions in the region.

In a letter signed by Mr Steve Selormey, Regional Co-ordinating Director, it urged them to seize the opportunity by sponsoring some of their drivers to reduce accidents.