The Kumasi Metropolitan Assembly (KMA) and the Bloomberg Philanthropies Initiative for Global Road Safety (BIGRS), have collaborated efforts to prevent road accidents in the metropolis.
The BIGRS initiative is a multi-country programme that seeks to reduce road accident deaths and injuries worldwide.
The BIGRS plan with KMA would focus on speeding, driving under the influence of alcohol and driving without using seatbelt among others, to reduce deaths on the roads.
At a virtual meeting in Kumasi, the Chief Executive Officer of the Kumasi metropolis, Osei Assibey-Antwi, has expressed worry at the increase of deaths and injuries as a result of road crashes in the metropolis.
He said that statistics showed that crashes and its related deaths and injuries were on the rise in the metropolis, adding, “We need to make our city safe for all its citizens as we commute our roads daily”.
Mr Assibey-Antwi said, “We will work to the best of our ability in this partnership to ensure the reduction of road traffic injuries and deaths in Kumasi and other areas”.
He appealed to the media, road safety partners and other stakeholders to support the BIGRS programme.
A representative of the BIGRS, Kelly Larson, noted that the eighth leading cause of death worldwide and the number one in deaths among people between the ages of five and 29 years old was road crashes.
More than 1.35 million people die and up to 50 million are seriously injured in traffic crashes each year, he said.
Kelly Larson said since 2007, the BIGRS initiative had saved nearly 312,000 lives and prevented up to 11.5 million injuries, adding that “the initiative will particularly centre on the prevention of road crashes leading to injuries and loss of lives”.
KMA would be expected to improve data management, infrastructure, monitoring, enforcement and communication on road safety.
The partner would offer technical and financial support to KMA to implement effective strategies to prevent road traffic deaths and injuries, in line with best international practices.
FROM KINGSLEY E.HOPE,KUMASI
