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AMA, NRSA, BIGRS mark World Day of Remembrance for road crash victims
The Accra Metropolitan Assembly, in collaboration with the National Road Safety Authority (NRSA) and the Bloomberg Philanthropies Initiative for Global Road Safety (BIGRS), has commemorated the World Day of Remembrance for Road Crash Victims.
This year’s event, held under the theme “Lost Talents,” sought to, among other things, honour those who have died on the roads, support bereaved families, and renew calls for stronger action to save lives.
The theme highlights that when people are killed or severely injured in road crashes, society loses not only their presence but also their ideas, potential, and future contributions.
Representing the Director-General of the NRSA, Martin Afram said the day offers Ghana an important opportunity to reflect on the human cost of road crashes.
He revealed that road fatalities had increased by 20 percent between January and September 2025 compared to the same period last year. As of September, Ghana had recorded 2,180 deaths and over 12,000 serious injuries.
Mr. Afram stressed that Ghana continues to lose about eight lives every day to road crashes, describing the numbers as real people, family members, colleagues, and friends whose memories must inspire urgent action.
He added that road crashes remain one of the world’s major health challenges, contributing to about 1.3 million deaths and up to 50 million injuries annually, with Africa bearing the highest fatality rate.
He noted that Ghana loses about 1.6 percent of its GDP to road crashes each year and explained that men make up roughly 75 percent of these deaths, leaving many families without breadwinners.
He emphasised that road crashes are preventable because the causes, including speeding, drunk driving, unsafe vehicles, non-use of seatbelts, weak enforcement, and poor road conditions are well known.
Mr. Afram underscored the need for effective post-crash care, including strong ambulance services, trained emergency responders, and ready hospitals.
He added that victims and families also require psychological and legal support, which he described as a basic human right.
He urged religious leaders to continue promoting responsible road behaviour, encouraged drivers to obey speed limits and avoid fatigue, alcohol and distractions, and advised pedestrians to use footbridges and reflective clothing at night.
He also reminded motorcyclists to always wear helmets and obey traffic signals.
The national Chairman of the Alcohol Policy Alliance–Ghana (GhanAPA), Benjamin Anabila, said his organisation has been working since 2018 to reduce alcohol-related harm through policy development and advocacy.
He said GhanAPA has engaged key institutions, including the Ministry of Health, FDA, GHS, the Mental Health Authority, the NRSA and WHO, on the implementation of Ghana’s National Alcohol Policy.
Mr. Anabila added that GhanAPA supported the drafting of the National Alcohol Control Regulations and continues to advocate for their passage.
He said the World Day of Remembrance is not only a moment to mourn but also a call to act, noting that 1,937 people were killed and 10,957 injured in 9,626 crashes in the first eight months of 2025.
He explained that alcohol accounts for an estimated 27 percent of global road traffic injuries and stressed that alcohol-impaired driving remains a major preventable cause of crashes in Ghana.
He called for Ghana’s blood alcohol concentration limit to be reduced from 0.08 to 0.02 and urged Parliament to speed up the passage of the Draft Alcohol Control Regulations.
Mr. Anabila emphasised that every life and every journey matter, and preventable deaths must strengthen Ghana’s resolve to act.
By: Jacob Aggrey
News
CSA urges Universities to strengthen cybersecurity following university of Nottingham cyber-attack
The Cyber Security Authority (CSA) has cautioned universities and other operators of Critical Information Infrastructure (CII) in Ghana to comply with cybersecurity regulations following a recent cyber-attack on the University of Nottingham in the United Kingdom.
In a press release issued on June 16, 2026, the Authority said the incident should serve as a warning to educational institutions that no organisation is immune to cyber threats, regardless of its size, reputation or technological capacity.
According to the CSA, the attack on the University of Nottingham is believed to have affected about 450,000 students and alumni, exposing sensitive information such as personal records, contact details, student identification information and financial data.
The Authority noted that although the breach occurred outside Ghana, it has important lessons for the country’s education sector as well as other critical sectors including health, telecommunications and transportation.
The CSA explained that Ghanaian universities are increasingly relying on digital technologies such as student information systems, online learning platforms, cloud services, digital payment systems and research collaborations.
While these technologies improve efficiency and access to services, they also create opportunities for cybercriminals to exploit vulnerabilities.
“The question is therefore not whether Ghanaian universities or other critical sectors will be attacked, but whether they are sufficiently prepared when an attack occurs,” the statement said.
The Authority reminded institutions to adhere to the Directive for the Protection of Critical Information Infrastructure, which was launched in October 2021 to strengthen cybersecurity across critical sectors.
According to the CSA, the directive requires organisations to establish cybersecurity governance structures, conduct risk assessments, implement security controls, report incidents, carry out regular audits and develop effective incident response plans.
The Authority said these measures are intended to reduce the likelihood and impact of cyber-attacks and help protect essential services and national interests.
By: Jacob Aggrey
Former NPP flagbearer aspirant, Kennedy Agyapong, has criticised both the New Patriotic Party (NPP) and the National Democratic Congress (NDC) over the delayed completion of the Afari Military Hospital and other stalled health infrastructure projects.
Mr. Agyapong made the remarks on Tuesday after donating a pickup truck, an incubator and personal protective equipment (PPEs) to the 37 Military Hospital as part of activities marking his 66th birthday.
Speaking at the event, he said successive governments had failed to complete the Afari Military Hospital despite having years in office to do so.
According to him, the project was initiated during the administration of former President John Agyekum Kufuor and construction later commenced under the NDC.
Mr. Agyapong, who previously chaired Parliament’s Defence and Interior Committee, said he was aware of the project’s challenges and insisted that both the NPP and NDC should be held accountable for the delays.
“We will criticise the NDC and we will criticise the NPP. That’s the only way to go,” he said.
He noted that the previous NPP administration spent eight years in office without completing the facility and questioned attempts to place the blame solely on the current government.
The former Assin Central MP called on Ghanaians to put national development ahead of partisan politics and demand accountability from all political parties.
He said the country would make greater progress if leaders focused on completing critical projects and delivering results rather than engaging in political point-scoring.
By: Jacob Aggrey
