The closure of Apirede to Somanya road in the Eastern region has been relaxed.
Taxis and private cars are now allowed to use the road but still closed to commercial vehicles for the next month.
A team from the National Road Safety Authority and the Police MTTD visited the road on Tuesday for assessment.
The team admitted that there are not enough visible road signs which must be improved. Also, crash guards need to be erected.
The Okere District Security Council (DISEC) announced the temporal closure of the Apirede to Somanya road in the Eastern region over rampant fatal crashes that continue to claim multiple lives almost every month.
Crashes on the hilly-curvy road have increased in recent times due to the ongoing construction of the Koforidua -Adukrom -Somanya highway as many drivers prefer to use the Apirede to Somanya road as an alternate route.
A month ago, a Lecturer and three students of the University of Education -Winneba (UEW) died in a crash on the road whilst dozens of students sustained injuries.
On Friday, October 7, 2022, 6 mourners en route from Koforidua to Aflao perished whilst 18 others sustained injuries after a Sprinter bus transporting them also crashed into the escarpment.
A statement issued by the District Chief Executive of Okere Daniel Kenneth who is chairman of DISEC said “The general public and motorists who ply the Apirede – Kwamante -Somanya Road are being informed of the temporal closure of that road by the District Security Committee (DISEC) effective 7th October 2022. This action has become necessary due to the frequency of fatal accidents happening on the road”.
The statement further directed “motorists traveling to Somanya and beyond are to use the Adukrom-Aseseeso-Trom Junction road whilst the District collaborates with Feeder Roads and National Road Safety Commission to improve on the safety of the road”.
The statement ended that “We are urging the general public and motorists to bear with us, as it is in the interest of preventing the fatality accidents on that road and saving lives”
But drivers at Somanya, Odumase, and Ho stations in Koforidua who ply the road disagree with the closure.
They told Bryt News that, inexperienced drivers and drivers unfamiliar with the road are those who crash their vehicles.
The drivers said none of the station drivers have been involved in a crash on the road, therefore, lumping them together in the closure is unfair.
Source: Mybrytnewsroom.com/Obed Ansah
