The Member of Parliament for Bantama, Mr Francis Asenso-Boakye, has referred to as for pressing measures to boost pedestrian footbridge use to cut back highway accidents, citing research that point out that over 40 per cent of highway accidents in Ghana contain pedestrian fatalities.
Talking in Parliament in response to an announcement by the MP for Weija-Gbawe, Jerry Ahmed Shaib, Asenso-Boakye harassed the necessity for improved footbridge designal, public schooling, and stricter enforcement of security rules to curb avoidable deaths.
As a former Minister for Roads and Highways and an expert planner, Mr Asenso-Boakye excessivelighted the federal government’s commitment to pedestrian security, noting that the Akufo-Addo’s administration had made footbridges an integral a part of latest trunk highway design in high-volume site visitors areas.
Key initiatives such because the Accra-Tema Motorway enlargement, Kasoa-Winneba Street, Kokoben-Anhwiankwanta Street, and Adenta-Dodowa Street all embody devoted pedestrian footbridges to separate human motion from fast-moving automobiles.
Regardless of these investments, many pedestrians continued to disregard footbridges, usually crossing roads at unsafe areas, leading to avoidable accidents and fatalities. To handle this problem, Mr Asenso-Boakye proposed a number of key interventions:
Design Optimisation and Accessibility Enhancements – Footbridges should be designed with consumer comfort in thoughts, ensuring they aren’t solely strategically positioned but additionally geared up with ramps for the aged and individuals with disabilities. Lined walkways, fashionable aesthetics, and correct landscaping also needs to be considered to encourage pedestrian use.
Lighting and Safety Measures
– Many pedestrians keep away from footbridges as a consequence of poor lighting and security issues, particularly at evening. The federal government should prioritise the set up of streetlights, safety cameras, and common police patrols round footbridges to boost security and deter prison actions.
Public Schooling and Sensitisation – Massive-scale schooling campaigns ought to be intensified by colleges, neighborhood engagements, and mass media to create consciousness of the hazards of jaywalking and the advantages of utilizing footbridges.
Strict Enforcement of Security Rules – The Ghana Police Service and the Nationwide Street Security Authority should strictly implement pedestrian security legal guidelines, together with issuing fines for jaywalking in high-risk areas. The usage of know-how, equivalent to surveillance cameras and automatic penalties, also needs to be explored with a view to guarantee compliance.
Asenso-Boakye then urged the Minister for Roads and Highways to additionally prioritise the completion of the Tetegu footbridge within the Weija-Gbawe constituency, emphasising that delays in development usually contribute to pedestrian non-compliance.
“Street security is a shared responsibility, and whereas the federal government is making important investments, it’s essential for all Ghanaians to undertake a tradition of security. We should work collectively—authorities, highway security authorities, and the general public—to make sure these footbridges serve their meant goal and save lives,” he acknowledged.
With Ghana persevering with to report excessive pedestrian fatalities on main roads, Mr Asenso-Boakye’s name for motion reinforces the necessity for coordinated efforts between policymakers, enforcement agencies, and the general public to make sure safer roads for all.
BY TIMES REPORTER
