Member of Parliament for Mpraeso, Davis Ansah Opoku, has issued a passionate appeal for urgent action to address what he describes as a growing road safety crisis in Ghana, following a tragic accident that claimed 16 lives on the Atwidie–Juaso section of the Accra–Kumasi Highway.

Raising the issue in Parliament, Mr. Opoku expressed deep concern over the increasing number of fatalities on Ghana’s highways, especially along the Accra–Kumasi stretch, which he described as one of the most perilous in the country.

“Every weekend I travel on that road, and every trip feels like a prayer. Our roads have become death traps. This is a national emergency, and we must treat it as such,” he said.

He attributed the frequent crashes to a combination of poor road infrastructure, including the absence of streetlights and proper signage, as well as weak enforcement of vehicle roadworthiness.

He also advocated for the immediate dualisation of the Praso to Kumasi portion of the highway, calling it one of the deadliest segments of the route.

“This is not just about one accident or one constituency. It is about protecting Ghanaian lives. Road safety is not politics; it is about saving families from needless pain,” Opoku added.

The recent crash that sparked the MP's comments involved a fuel tanker that suffered a tire burst near Juaso, veering into the path of a minibus carrying young passengers returning from a church conference.

Sixteen people, mostly between the ages of 4 and 21, were killed instantly.

Calling for inter-ministerial collaboration, Mr. Opoku urged the Ministries of Roads and Highways, Energy, and the National Road Safety Authority to develop and implement a comprehensive strategy to prevent such tragedies.

“Every statistic is a human life, a family in mourning. We cannot allow this to continue,” he concluded.