Parliament has summoned the Roads and Transport minister over the rising road accidents in the country.
Given the directive Tuesday, 1st deputy speaker Joseph Osei-Owusu said the minister Kwaku Asiamah has two weeks within which to appear before the house with brief on measures rolled out to reduce carnage on the roads ahead of the Yuletide.
The decision follows a statement from Ledzorkuku Mp Dr. Bernard Okoe Boye on avoidable road traffic accidents. The Mp in the statement called for aggressive prosecution of careless drivers. He related to recent accidents including that of colleague Mp for Awutu Senya West and deputy communications minister George Andah, who was airlifted to 37 military hospital for emergency care, following an accident in the Central region.
Another accident was recorded in the same region Monday which claimed 6 lives. Adaklu Mp Kwame Agbodza Governs asked for establishment of air ambulance services so ordinary Ghanaians can also benefit from the services rendered to the deputy Communications minister after his accident.
Pusiga Laadi Ayamba questioned why the construction of footbridges on the Madina Adenta stretch of the N1 highway has stalled for years now resulting needless deaths. MP for the Adentan constituency Yaw Buaben Asamoah in his contribution pointed the entire road project was poorly executed.
According to him, the road floods every time it rains. He also pointed to faulty traffic lights. Mr. Asamoah disclosed the 6 footbridges on the stretch should have been completed as part of the entire project. He therefore demanded investigations into the reasons for the stalling of the project. For his part Mp for Madina Boniface Abu-bakar Saddique accused drivers plying the road of being insensitive.
According to him, in the absence of the footbridges, drivers should have been more sympathetic towards the plight of pedestrians. The minister of state at the office of the Vice President however assured the 6 footbridges will be completed soon. He disclosed 2 footbridges each have been given to 3 contractors by the Roads and Highways Ministry for completion.
The delay in completion of the footbridges has claimed at least 192 lives. The most resident pedestrian knockdown on the road sparked spontaneous protests by residents which led to roadblocks.
Source: Ghana/Starrfmonline.com/Ibrahim Alhassan
