A STAGGERING number of 650 people were killed through road accidents in the Ashanti Region during 2021, the police have officially announced.
This number is an increase of 14 per cent as compared with the statistics of 2020, where 572 precious lives were also lost through road carnage in the Ashanti Region.
The Ashanti Regional MTTD Commander, Supt Emmanuel Adu Boahen, who made the announcement, said their target of reducing road carnage was not met.
“A total number of 572 people died through road accidents in the region in 2020 and we were hoping to reduce the number of deaths in 2021 but it wasn’t the case.
“The number of deaths in 2021 stands at 650, which is an increase of 78 more deaths, and in percentage wise, it was an increase of 14 per cent deaths,” he lamented.
Supt Adu Boahen, who was speaking with Kofi Asante of Akoma FM in Kumasi, said the number of deaths in road crashes was alarming so it needed more attention.
He said the total number of reported accident cases in 2021 stood at 3,680, which is also an increase of 7 per cent when compared to 3,435 cases reported in 2020.
The police capo also said out of the 650 deaths recorded on the road in 2021, a total of 190, representing 33 per cent, were killed by motorbikes and tricycles.
The MTTD Commander disclosed that “514 out of the 650 deaths were males, representing 79 per cent, whilst 135 were females.”
Supt Adu Boahen mentioned the common causes of road accidents as speeding, drivers’ unprofessional attitudes, and increasing of vehicles on the road.
Also, he indicated that the perennial problem of drivers, driving under the influence of alcohol, was still among the leading causes of road accidents in the region.
Supt Adu Boahen stated that the country needs its people to be fit and alive to contribute their quota to national growth, so drivers should be careful at all times.
FROM I.F. Joe Awuah Jnr., Kumasi