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Pedestrian knockdown on the increase in W/R
Pedestrian knockdowns continue to attract the attention of road safety managers as number of persons injured rose from 100 in 2020 to 135 in 2021 in the Western Region, National Road Safety Authority (NRSA) reports from January to September this year revealed.
Pedestrians killed, however, reduced from 42 to 32, a 23.8 percent decrease. But, the total number of reported cases on pedestrian knockdowns rose from 130 to 167, during the period.
The Western Regional Manager of NRSA, Nana Akua Ansaah,told The Spectator recently.
She explained that walkways were for use by pedestrians and but observed that in most communities in the region, they had become car parks.
This , Nana Ansaah added, was a headache creating injuries and deaths among pedestrians on theroads.
Again, she told The Spectator that slabs removed during clean-ups were not restored and remained uncovered for days, forcing pedestrians to enter the road to compete with vehicles for space.
Nana Ansaah stressed : “Humans are vulnerable and our bones cannot be compared with metals on vehicles and any collision, pedestrians die; it’s a worry. We plead with road contractors and our engineers, to create pedestrian lay- bys to forestall the injuries and deaths.
“We need to prevent people from dying when using the road.The pedestrian walkways also promote healthy lifestyles as people used them for exercises.”
She again indicated that males killed during the period below age 18 reduced from 10 to four while males above 18 killed rose from 61 to 71, an increase of +16.4 percent while females above 18, who died, also rose from four to nine.
Nana Ansaah told the Spectator that persons killed in the commercial vehicle category rose from 23 to 36 while those injured reduced from 287 to 188, with taxis topping with an increase from 137 to 158.
Trycycles cases also rose from 99 to 142 during the period,saying “it’s a worry, we are losing national human resources, people in productive age bracket are dying.”
The road safety manager advocated that parents and the society should encourage females to join the road transport business just as some haulage companies had started because, statistics showed that, females had the patience and discipline to maintain high safety standards.
Nana Ansaah said: “The men claim they have the experience but if you have the experience and people continue to die on our roads, then it means you need to improve upon your driving skills. We have to make our roads safe for all users.”
From Clement Adzei Boye, Takoradi
The Vice President, Naana Jane Opoku-Agyemang, has called for stronger action to promote gender equity and create more opportunities for women in the workplace.
She made the call in a Facebook post after joining staff at the Presidency of Ghana to mark International Women’s Day.
The celebration was held under the theme “From Commitment to Action: Promoting Equity for Every Woman in the Workplace” and focused on recognising the achievements of women while reflecting on the work needed to ensure equal opportunities.
Professor Opoku-Agyemang extended warm wishes to women across Ghana and noted that women have always played key roles in the country’s communities and economic activities.
According to her, women in the past served as healers, traders and queen mothers who contributed to leadership and governance in traditional societies.
She explained that Ghana’s cultural history shows that women have long provided knowledge, leadership and innovation to help develop communities.
The Vice President however noted that current disparities require society to examine systems and structures that may have limited opportunities for women.
She stressed that advancing gender equity will require deliberate actions and the mentoring of young women to prepare them for leadership roles.
Professor Opoku-Agyemang recognised women whose work takes place in markets, streets and small trading spaces across the country.
According to her, these women form the backbone of local economies and continue to demonstrate resilience despite the difficult conditions they face.
She commended women working at the Presidency for their dedication and leadership and reaffirmed the need to promote respect, fairness and opportunity for every woman.
The Vice President further called on both men and women to work together to break barriers and ensure that women can fully contribute to Ghana’s development.
By: Jacob Aggrey
The Diaspora Affairs Office at the Office of the President has hosted a delegation of African diaspora women who are in Ghana ahead of a planned Presidential Conferment of Citizenship ceremony.
The Director of Diaspora Affairs, Kofi Okyere Darko, explained in a Facebook post that the visit was a gesture of appreciation by the delegation to the Government of Ghana for its continued efforts to reconnect Africans in the diaspora with their ancestral homeland.
He indicated that the ceremony, scheduled for next Monday, will officially grant Ghanaian citizenship to members of the delegation as part of the country’s broader engagement with the African diaspora.
The delegation was led by Erica Bennett, Founder of the Diaspora Africa Forum.
According to Mr Okyere Darko, her years of advocacy have played an important role in strengthening ties between Africa and people of African descent living abroad.
He noted that the group’s journey towards citizenship represents not only a legal process but also a cultural and spiritual return to their roots.
Also present at the meeting was Natalie Jackson, an attorney who is also expected to receive Ghanaian citizenship during the ceremony. She works closely with renowned civil rights lawyer Ben Crump.
Mr Okyere Darko emphasised that Ghana remains committed to strengthening relationships with the African diaspora and promoting unity, identity, and shared heritage among people of African descent worldwide.
By: Jacob Aggrey
