Atwidie–Juaso Tragedy: Urgent action needed on road safety - Davis Ansah Opoku

The Member of Parliament for Mpraeso Constituency, Davis Ansah Opoku, has expressed his deepest condolences to the families of the 16 young people who lost their lives in the recent accident on the Atwidie–Juaso stretch of the Accra–Kumasi Highway.

Speaking on the floor of Parliament, Opoku described the incident as heartbreaking and a wake‑up call for the nation.

He noted that he has personally survived two near‑fatal accidents on the same highway, which he described as one of the most dangerous roads in the country.

“Every trip on that road feels like a prayer. We cannot continue to lose lives in this manner. My heart goes out to the families of the 16 young men and women whose lives were cut short. This tragedy should stir all of us to act,” he said.

Davis Opoku called for urgent government action to prevent further accidents.

He called for the installation of streetlights along the highway, the erection of proper road signs, stricter roadworthiness checks by the police and DVLA, and the dualisation of the most dangerous sections, particularly the stretch from Praso to Kumasi.

He added that the Accra–Kumasi–Tamale Road is one of Ghana’s most critical highways and must be safe for all users.

“Road safety is not politics. It is about saving lives.

“We must act now to protect our people and honour the memory of those we have lost. No family should have to go through this kind of pain again.” he added.

The MP pledged to work closely with the Ministry of Roads and Highways, the Ministry of Energy, and the National Road Safety Authority to push for urgent interventions on this vital highway.

The tragic accident happened when a fuel tanker burst a tire near the Juaso Water Works and veered into an oncoming minibus, killing 16 passengers on the spot. Many of the victims were young people between the ages of 4 and 21, most of them members of the Obogu Saviour Church, while returning from a youth conference at Osiem.