During this season, a number of road accidents happen
Paramount Chief (Konor) of the Yilo Krobo Traditional Area, Nene Oklepeme Nuer Anobaah Sasraku II has joined calls for drivers to take extra care on the roads during the Christmas season and beyond.
He said though various stakeholders continued to play their respective parts in awareness campaigns in highlighting the dangers of speeding and drunk driving, the onus was now on each individual driver to be cautious.
The paramount Chief observed that by being cautious, drivers could help reduce the number of accidents, adding that drivers must strictly adhere to all road safety requirements and regulations to curtail road crashes in the country before, during and after the Christmas festivities.
His call comes as many Ghanaians are expected to commute by road ahead of the period weekend which begins Tuesday, December 24th and January 2nd, 2020.
Many drivers have gained notoriety for drunk driving, a habit the renowned chief condemned especially during the Easter festivities.
While most Ghanaians will be heading to various parts of the country for the festivities, a significant amount of the traffic will be heading towards hometowns via both relatively safer and most dangerous roads in Ghana, both of which have their fair amount of fatal road crashes.
The number of persons killed in road crashes rose from 2,076 in 2017 to 2,341 in 2018 and Nene believes everybody must become ambassadors and advocates to ensure that the alarming rate of accidents are reduced.
Nene Oklepeme Nuer Anobaah Sasraku II was speaking in an interview with journalists at his Palace at Somanya where he urged Ghanaians, particularly drivers to ensure that we had “an accident-free christmas.”
“Christmas is coming and a lot of people are going to travel. The drivers must drive cautiously to ensure that their passengers are safe. Some will be my relatives. Some will be your relatives. If we don’t advocate and help our drivers and all those who are involved in terms of transporting us safely to one destination or the other… then we will be reneging on our responsibilities,” said the revered traditional leader.
Statistics indicate that within the last 28 years, about 46, 284 Ghanaians have been killed in road accidents nationwide.
Social vices
With many discerning Ghanaians concerned about the breakdown of morality of the youth where they engage in excessive drinking, drug abuse, indecent dressing, the chief urged Ghanaians to purge themselves of all social vices, such as excessive drinking, substance abuse, promiscuity and other vices.
He also stressed the need for Ghanaians to bury their differences and prejudices and “love our neighbours as ourselves.”
“Let us live a new life of peace, love and harmony with one another,” he said in a Christmas and New Year message issued to the people of Yilo Krobo.
He prayed that 2020 would bring Ghanaians new hope, opportunity and renewed vigour to serve Yilo Krobo better than before.
