"Road accidents are inimical to nation's progress"-MP

Kumasi, Dec.19, GNA- Dr. Owusu Achaw Duah, Member of Parliament (MP) for Offinso South has urged corporate bodies and Non-Government Organizations (NGOS) to collaborate with the government to resource the police by providing them with the needed logistics to be effective in the management of road accidents and traffic.

He said, this would ensure that the country's current annual road fatality rate of 1,600 was reduced significantly to the barest minimum by 2015 to help fast-track Ghana's bid to achieve her development goals. Dr. Duah was speaking in an interview with the Ghana News Agency (GNA) in Kumasi on Wednesday.

The Offinso South MP stated that the increasing number of the youth and the middle-aged involved in road fatalities "Could not be allowed to continue because it seriously undermined the country's human resource". He said many road accidents could be avoided if drivers were careful, pointing out that there was the need to create safe and responsible road users for the protection of lives and property. According to the World Health Organization (WHO), by the year 2020, road crashes will be the third most common cause of premature death in the world.

Conservative estimates indicated that Africa has the worst record of road accident and that between 40 and 50 percent of people killed as result of road crashes are pedestrians. Drivers, he said, should also be extra careful and avoid speeding, drunk-driving, unnecessary over-taking and disrespect for pedestrians and passengers. He disclosed that as part of moves to raise the educational standard in his constituency, he would, in the early part of next year, institute an educational scholarship scheme to support needy pupils and students in their career development. 19 Dec. 07 ATTENTION RECIPIENTS: ITEM 28 ENDS OUR THIRD TRANSMISSION