The Upper East Regional Minister, Akamugri Donatus Atanga, has called for stronger enforcement of helmet laws and intensified efforts to combat substance abuse as part of measures to reduce road accidents and fatalities in the region.
The Minister made the call when the newly appointed Upper East Regional Director of the National Road Safety Authority (NRSA), Eric A. Fordjour, paid a courtesy call on him to formally introduce himself and brief him on road safety issues in the region.
As part of the engagement, Mr. Fordjour presented a comparative analysis of road safety statistics for the first quarter of 2025 and 2026. According to the figures, reported road accident cases declined from 37 in 2025 to 25 in 2026. The number of vehicles involved in accidents also dropped from 62 to 42 within the same period. Injuries resulting from road crashes reduced significantly from 74 in 2025 to 14 in 2026, while deaths recorded decreased from 30 to 22.
Reacting to the statistics, the Regional Minister described the figures as encouraging but stressed that the ultimate goal should be to reduce road accident deaths to zero.
The Minister expressed concern over the high number of motorcycle-related deaths, revealing that 19 of the 22 road crash fatalities recorded this year resulted from head injuries sustained by motorcyclists. He suggested that the mining boom in the region may be contributing to the trend, as many young people working in the mining sector are purchasing motorcycles and riding without helmets while some also engage in reckless riding.
Mr Akamugri further suggested that the actual number of motorcycle-related deaths could be higher than officially reported figures, and urged the NRSA to broaden its data collection methods beyond reports from the Motor Traffic and Transport Department (MTTD) of the Ghana Police Service. He proposed closer collaboration with assembly members and unit committee members, arguing that local authorities often have firsthand knowledge of deaths occurring within their communities.
“The police only report cases that come to their attention, but assembly members and unit committee members know virtually all the deaths in their electoral areas,” he said.
On measures to reduce motorcycle fatalities, the Minister said the culture of riding without helmets had become widespread and described weak enforcement as part of the problem. He observed that police officers often fail to act against riders who violate helmet regulations and called for greater commitment to enforcing traffic laws, noting that the police require further education and a change in attitude towards arresting and prosecuting traffic offenders.
The Minister also identified substance abuse as a major contributor to road accidents, explaining that people under the influence of drugs often feel invincible while on the road.
“To fight road accidents, we must also fight substance abuse,” he stated.
He urged the NRSA to engage law enforcement agencies and district assemblies in tackling drug abuse, noting that assembly members could provide valuable intelligence on locations where illicit drugs are sold.
As part of efforts to improve helmet compliance, Mr Akamugri proposed a system where motorists arrested for riding without helmets would be required to purchase approved helmets before being allowed to continue their journey, arguing that such an approach would encourage compliance and help reduce road crash fatalities.
The Minister also raised concerns about malfunctioning traffic lights in parts of the region, recounting that when he assumed office in 2025, several traffic lights were not functioning due to a contractor not being paid for some time. He said he engaged the contractor and urged him to restore the faulty traffic lights despite the outstanding payments, following which work was carried out on traffic lights in Bolgatanga.
Mr Akamugri said he had also directed that traffic lights in Navrongo and Bawku be repaired, and assured the NRSA that he would engage the Minister for Roads and Highways and the responsible contractor to ensure traffic lights in the affected municipalities are repaired and properly maintained.
