Okada wasting legs, knees, hands, brains; let’s ban it – Ghana Medical Association tells govt

The Ghana Medical Association (GMA) has suggested to the Akufo-Addo-led administration to, as a matter of urgency, ban commercial motorbike operations (Okada) in Ghana to prevent the spate of road accidents.

According to the Head of the Accident, Emergency and Orthopaedic Department of the Korle-Bu Teaching Hospital, Dr Frederick Kwarteng, such a ban would go a long way to save lives.

According to him, the operators’ total disrespect for traffic rules and recklessness on the roads would end if a ban is imposed.

Dr Kwarteng told the Ghana News Agency in Accra that the number of Okada-related road accidents recorded on a daily basis, especially during the Yuletide, was alarming.

He observed that victims of Okada-related crashes end up bed-ridden with amputated legs, arms and hands, as well as fractured knees and toes.

“Until the government implements policies to regulate the use of motorbikes, especially for commercial purposes, it should ban their operations to save lives. This is what we want.

“And this is causing the victims to lose their lives, legs, arms, brains, wealth and entire social life,” he stated.