IGP Calls for Caution as Roads Record Daily Carnage
IGP urges drivers to prioritize safety amid rising road accidents in Ghana.
The Inspector-General of Police, Christian Tetteh Yohuno, has warned that Ghana's roads are witnessing daily carnage that claims more lives than any national disease.
Speaking in Accra last Wednesday, the IGP charged all drivers to exercise extreme caution to protect commuters.
He made the appeal when the road safety group Street Sense Organisation donated 1,000 reflective vests to the police service ahead of the new TRAFFITECH-GH traffic management system.
“Let’s try to reduce the number of casualties we encounter daily,” he said, urging drivers to be mindful of pedestrians, traffic officers and fellow road users.
Yohuno stressed that many accidents occur because drivers prioritise speed over safety, chasing extra fares at the cost of lives.
“That money you get will not be worth the accidents you cause,” he warned, calling on the public to advise reckless drivers.
Road accidents, he noted, are the most frequent daily incidents in the country, surpassing even common illnesses in occurrence.
Currently, over 3,000 police personnel patrol streets daily to manage traffic flow.
He explained the donated vests address a critical need, as many officers have been injured or hospitalized due to lack of proper reflective gear.
“A lot of our personnel have suffered casualties from not wearing these jackets,” he said, adding the timing aligns perfectly with the TRAFFITECH-GH rollout.
The IGP revealed the new traffic system was originally set for October 1, 2026 but has been postponed to November 1, 2026 to allow more public education.
“More time has been given to the motoring public so that extensive sensitisation can be carried out before the next phase,” he explained.
Yohuno assured the public that police presence on roads will remain strong to curb highway and urban accidents.
Street Sense National Coordinator Samson Oddoye stated the donation supports the MTTD and other agencies in promoting road safety.
The NGO also sensitises the public on safe road-use practices and collaborates with the National Road Safety Authority, Ministry of Transport and National Ambulance Service.
Oddoye highlighted their cadre of volunteers who freely disseminate safety information nationwide.
Former Korle-Bu Teaching Hospital CEO Dr Opoku Ware Ampomah noted most road fatalities involve people in their most productive years.
