The National Road Safety Authority has said that it is quite difficult to give a definite number of accidents caused by the Okada business as the venture is not legal and as such documentation on its accidents is not available.
The Director of planning and programmes at the Authority, Mr David Osafo Adonteng, speaking in an interview with Samuel Eshun on the Happy Morning Show disclosed, however, that the Authority is able to make inferences on how Okada causes accidents on our road through certain observations.
“While we don’t have any documentation to prove that Okada riders are more involved in motorcycle accidents, the Ministry of Transport in a survey to know what is happening on the ground observed that there was an increase in the number of motorcycles used for commercial purposes and at that rate, it is possible that they contribute to the accidents by motorcycles.
Also, we consulted the Ghana Medical Association, Ridge hospital, Okomfo Anokye Teaching Hospital, Tamale Teaching Hospital, Tema Hospital, among others and the doctors informed us that many people who were involved in road accidents were as a result of patronizing commercialized motorcycles”.
Mr. Adonteng added that while the NRSA has not explicitly said that the Okada business is claiming lives, the Authority has not ruled out the possibility that the Okada business could claim lives.
Meanwhile, the NRSA, he said it will welcome discussions on the legalization and regularization of Okada in order to reach the best decision going forward.
According to the Motor Transport and Traffic Directorate (MTTD), there were about 3547 motorcycle accidents from January to August, with the total deaths at 643.
By: Alberta Dorcas N D Armah
