Motor bikes accidents on the increase in Wa

Wa, Oct. 30, GNA - Mr. John Ferguson Dzineku, the Upper West Regional Commander of the Motor Traffic and Transport Union (MTTU), has expressed concern about the spate of fatal accidents involving motor bikes in the Wa Municiaplity.

He told the Ghana News Agency in an interview on Wednesday that out of the 27 reported cases of accidents involving 43 vehicles as at the third quarter of this year, most of them were motor bike related accidents. The MTTU commander said though the number of motor accidents reduced from 43 in 2008 to 27 in 2009, deaths from the accidents rose from 23 in 2008 to 24 in 2009 while 32 people sustained serious injuries through motor accidents in 2009 up from 30 in 2008.

He attributed the problem to the influx of students from the University for Development Studies (UDS) and Wa Polytechnic who use these motor bikes mostly but lacked the skills and experience required for riding. He said most of them had no driving licenses, adding that acquiring a driving license through the proper way would enable them go through some test that would give them the basic understanding of road traffic regulations.

Mr. Dzineku said the Police were on the alert to arrest people who ride in town without driving license. Mr. Suleiman Abdul-Karim, Upper West Regional Director of the National Road Safety Commission, said most of the deaths that were recorded through motor accidents in the region were motor bike riders who refused to wear helmets when riding.