Former Member of Parliament, Ras Mubarak, has issued a passionate open letter to Ghana’s Minister of Transport, Joseph Bukari, calling for immediate and decisive action to address what he describes as an “unrelenting carnage” on the country’s highways.
The letter comes in the wake of the fatal road crash that occurred at Oframase on the Accra–Kumasi highway on Wednesday, which claimed several lives and left many others injured.
In the letter, Mubarak expressed deep sorrow over the recurring loss of life on Ghana’s roads, citing that over 2,000 people died in road crashes in 2024 alone.
He lamented that the country’s highways—meant to symbolize development and progress—have instead become deadly pathways.
Referring to past incidents such as the April 2025 crash in Amanase that killed 11 people, and the September 2024 tragedy at Obretema that claimed seven lives, Ras Mubarak described the situation as a “silent epidemic” that must no longer be ignored.
He noted that the Accra–Kumasi highway remains one of the most dangerous corridors in Ghana due to issues such as rampant speeding, poor road infrastructure, driver fatigue, lack of motorcycle regulation, and insufficient enforcement of safety rules.
He added that 89% of vehicles on Ghanaian roads reportedly exceed safe speed limits—a statistic he described as alarming.
The former MP called on the Transport Minister to treat road safety as a national emergency and lead a new agenda focused on transforming the transport sector into a safe and efficient one.
He urged the Minister to implement stricter enforcement of speed limits using cameras and GPS tracking, initiate comprehensive road upgrades, tighten driver training and licensing systems, and introduce fatigue management protocols for long-distance drivers.
Mubarak also called for better public education through raw and impactful campaigns, and for strengthening emergency services and trauma centers along high-risk highways.
He stressed the need for swift prosecutions and harsher penalties for traffic offenders to serve as a deterrent to reckless driving.
According to him, the ongoing review of the Road Traffic Regulations 2012 must deliver more than just bureaucratic changes—it should result in enforceable laws that save lives.
He called on the Minister to let the Oframase crash be a turning point and demonstrate leadership that prioritizes human life and safety above all else.