Accra: Mr Abraham Amaliba, Director-General of the National Road Safety Authority (NRSA), has called on road users to 'team up' with the Authority to tackle the growing menace of road crashes in Ghana. 'Road safety is a shared responsibility. We must not stand aloof but put all hands on deck to deal with the matter,' he said at the launch of the Mantrac Road Safety Campaign in Accra.
According to Ghana News Agency, the month-long campaign, a collaboration between Mantrac Ghana and the NRSA, will feature media engagements, joint sensitisation, publicity drives and webinars. It will also include a two-day sensitisation programme for Mantrac staff in Accra, Tarkwa, Takoradi and Kumasi to equip them to become road safety advocates.
Mr Amaliba expressed delight at Mantrac's decision to dedicate a month to road safety education, noting that the initiative underscored the principle that 'road safety is a shared responsibility.' He described the spate of road crashes as 'akin to a pandemic' due to the high number of deaths. Ghana recorded 7,289 road crashes in the first half of 2025, resulting in 1,504 deaths, 8,364 injuries and 1,301 pedestrian knockdowns. This translates into an average of eight deaths daily. 'These are not mere statistics but real human lives and families affected. It means eight people die every day, but we don't know who it will be,' he said.
He urged passengers to ensure drivers adhered to safety rules and drivers to 'kill the speed before the speed kills you,' stressing that the Authority would continue to collaborate with Mantrac to promote behavioural change among road users. On challenges facing the NRSA, he noted that despite being one of the least-funded public institutions, the Authority remained committed to improving its Internally Generated Funds to enhance visibility on roads and in the media.
Mr Anthony Eghan, Territory Product Support and Parts Sales Manager at Mantrac Ghana, speaking on behalf of the Managing Director, reaffirmed the company's commitment to road safety. 'Safety remains at the top of our agenda, and we will continue to contribute and share in this commitment to enhance road safety,' he said. He noted that road crashes had claimed more lives this year than COVID-19, adding: 'Our actions have consequences on everyone around us. We must ensure we stay alive and return home safely always.'
Mr Eghan encouraged staff and stakeholders to become change agents, reflect on their behaviour on the roads, and 'drive to suit the road conditions.' He said Mantrac had recorded 16 vehicular accidents this year, but staff would apply defensive driving knowledge gained from various trainings to reduce the risk of future crashes. 'All discussions here are a call to action. Let's share the message with others and work together to make our roads safe,' he advised.
