The Bono East Regional Director of the National Road Safety Authority (NRSA), Emmanuel Acheampong-Parry, has bemoaned the practice where motorbike riders carry more passengers than the mandated number.

According to him, carrying three or more passengers has been the cause of over 60% of road accident deaths in the region even more than private and passenger cars during the year 2021.

Mr Acheampong-Parry in an interview at Techiman revealed that the Bono East Regional NRSA in 2021 recorded a total of 288 accidents involving 537 vehicles which resulted in 129 deaths.

“254 commercial vehicles were involved in road crashes, private vehicles were 81, 202 motorbikes got involved, pedestrian knockdowns 65, persons injured 383, deaths - commercial 26, private 18, and motorbikes claimed 85 lives during the same 2021,” he added.

The Bono East Regional Director of the NRSA further indicated that road accident cases in the Bono East region for the year 2021 generally saw a slight increase as against the previous year 2020.

A  situation, he described as worrisome despite the numerous educational programs.

Mr Acheampong-Parry said the NRSA is partnering with the Motor Transport and Traffic Department (MTTD) of the Ghana Police Service, the Driver and Vehicle Licensing Authority (DVLA) and other stakeholders to come up with new strategies to help reverse the situation.

 “We have targeted the motorbike, Pragya and aboboyaa riders in the Bono East region for sensitisation and possible prosecution in case they flout the road traffic regulations.

 "Our renewed strategy this year will enable us to quickly halt this menace which poses a serious threat to the lives of the good people of the region,” he stressed.