THE FORGOTTEN ROAD USERS: THE MOTORCYCLISTS

Sometime last year, I almost lost an acquaintance in a motorbike accident. This was in the Upper West Region. A couple of days later, I called an aunt working in Wa to make an enquiry on the progress being made in her school. Upon enquiring about the wellbeing of the schoolbus driver, the reply was; ‘he’s dead.’ When I asked of how he died, it was by a motor bicycle. This year, I took a trip to Wa to visit the school and exactly the next morning, we were greeted with the sad news of the death of the father of one of the little children. Apparently He died in a motor accident the previous evening. This was someone who had personally picked up his child from school the previous day. When I visited the school, some furniture was needed so I inquired about the school carpenter, a very promising young man in his late twenties, only to be told of his passing through a motor accident. Whiles going through the school album, two male parents were indicated as deceased. As usual, motor bike accidents. The list is endless!

This story is just based on the statistics from just one school, an early childhood center to be exact. This shows how real and serious, the issue of motor bike accidents is claiming the lives of promising citizens, breadwinners and most importantly, parents of young children in the northern parts of our country. Yes, a lot of children are being orphaned through the occurrence of these accidents! Are we prepared to take responsibility for this fast growing numbers? Absolutely not!

Rather unfortunately in Ghana today, when people talk about road accidents, all attention is drawn to vehicular accidents. This might be the case for southern Ghana. When it comes to Northern Ghana however, the number one cause of road accidents and death is motor bicycle accidents. Just last year, a lot of people lost their lives as a result especially youngsters. Our promising future leaders!! Last year’s executive meeting of the National Union of Ghana Students claimed the life of an executive member through a motor accident. These are only a few cases that occurred in the upper West Region, Wa. There are similar incidents occurring in the other two Northern regions of the country.

A visit to Duayaw Nkwanta district hospital in the Brong-Ahafo region of the country and other regional hospitals in northern regions will both confirm and sight countless cases of accidents involving motor bicycles, referred from these regions. Ghastly accidents indeed!

Currently in Ghana, a faction of people is calling for the use of motor bicycles, popularly known as ‘Okada’ as an alternative means of transportation. This is in light of the constraints in our transportation system and also increasing traffic streams. That is not a bad idea. The question however is: Are we prepared? Are we prepared for the consequence; the associated crimes, accidents, casualties, fatalities, etc?

It is a common sight to spot several motor bike riders without any helmets. For those who wear these helmets, it is usually one at a time. Either the rider wears alone or the passenger alone wears. It is rather on a few occasions that two people get spotted with both wearing.

For most of these motor bike riders, another problem is the law. Most of them act like they are above the law or there is no law governing their movement and operation at all. A large number of these riders like over speeding and have no regard for road signs and other traffic control devices. It is at times really scary to watch some motor bike riders make impossible over takings and meanders in thick and moving traffic streams. That has been the number cause of accidents and associated death of many motor bicycle riders and sometimes innocent pedestrians including other road users.

In the southern parts of the country especially in the big cities some people are advocating for the use of motor bicycles as an alternative source of transportation considering the current loopholes in our transportation system. Already, some are in business. It would be rather unfortunate if this is allowed considering the associated risks. A lot of vehicular accidents that occur are fatal with some escaping with ghastly injuries. When it comes to motor bicycles, it is almost always fatal be it a motor-bicycle collision, motor-motor collision, motor-vehicular collision, motor- human collision or even motor-animal collision. How then should we allow and expect it to be legalized as an alternative source of transportation?

Security-wise, there is a huge risk involved in the use of motor bicycles especially for commercial transportation. The probability of any form of attack is usually high with no better chances of escape. In fact, some unscrupulous people have been using motor bikes to attack, rob and commit all sorts of crimes since it is easy to meander through traffic and avoid being arrested on them. How then must we endanger ourselves by considering the use of the motor bike?

Although on our roads, all motorists have been advised to be cautious, the same measure has not been given to motor bicycle riders. Most motor bike riders move around without any license and helmets. Very often, they are allowed to slip through easily by our traffic and other law enforcement agencies. All focus has always been on vehicular movements. Well, it is now the time for the motor bicycle riders! We are losing quite a relatively alarming number of people through motor bicycle accidents just like vehicular accidents.

The main source of transportation in the northern parts of the country is the bicycle and the motor bike. Yes, almost each household owns one, if not both! That is a good, easier to use and a relatively cheaper alternative means of transportation. However, we ought to careful! We have to save our people, and the time is now! A lot of precious lives have been lost over the years. A lot more are being lost each day. We owe it to ourselves to be careful on our roads. We owe it to our families to be cautious. We need them. They need us. Our nation needs us. Our law enforcement agencies owe it to us to help us ensure our own safety. Ghana needs us to be strong and alive.

Arise Ghana youth for your country! We need to stay alive! Stay alert on the road!