ASEPA’s Mensah Thompson writes on “My Nkawkaw Experience…Deathtrap Diversion”

Folks I was involved in an accident this morning, but don’t panic yet I’m safe and sound.

It all started as a bright Sunday morning, woke up as usual to complete my 4 hour drive from Accra to Kumasi.
I love to drive on sundays because the roads are less busier and the traffic is less, so I set off early so I can have a relaxed drive to Accra as usual.

Got to Ejisu around 6am, refueled and hit the road again.

By about 7:48am I was in Nkawkaw, where works on dualizing the Kumasi-Accra road was progressing steadily.

At Nkawkaw those coming from Kumasi to Accra drives on a one-way lane till you hit the spot where the women sell bread by the roadside, then you have to navigate a very small and sharp diversion into the double lane with traffic from Accra to Kumasi.

The diversion signage is hidden deep into a trench on the diversion curve and drivers only get to see it when they are actually at the curve by that time it may be too late.

The road also appears to be a straight lane and since you have been driving on a one-way lane from the previous town before you hit the diversion, you may be tempted to continue only to spot the diversion at the curve by that time it may be too late for you.

This is exactly what happened to me, I maintained my speed level because I thought the road runs ahead only to be confronted with a diversion on the left, my attempt to navigate the curve and avoid running into the cars parked ahead on the uncompleted road landed me into the trench just by the curve, managed to maintain control through out and got out safely, so the car did not summersault, was unhurt but my car badly damaged.

Some mechanics and bystanders helped me out of my car, checked the damages and concluded it had to be towed to Accra.

Just when the mechanics were wrapping up with me, boom! another car, a Benz sedan, the exact same place also grossly missed the diversion, unlike me was on top speed, flew up in the skies and landed into the trench, baaaang!!!

It was at this point I realize that this, what happened to us was not just a normal accident but a very AVOIDABLE one!!

The injuries, the trauma, the damage to lives and property, mechanical expenses are astonishingly avoidable.

A little interrogation of the people around rather came out very telling…

They were like boss, at least 5cars run into this ditch on this curve every single day but you know Ghana when a big person has not died here, nobody minds!!!

This is where my pain and psychological trauma turned into rage and anger!!
I could only manage a “WHAT??” out of my mouth!!!

I quickly called a senior Police Officer made a complaint, called the Eastern Regional Correspondent of TV3, miss Yvonne who promised to go cover the story of the “DIVERSION DEATH TRAP” got JoyNews and other stations to also take the matter up and I hope just as radio and TV gets results always, this wouldn’t be an exception.

One thing that struck me was when one of the boys confided in me that, bros that’s how we chop oo, I said how, he said, when people ran into the trench then we help them out for nokofio.

And right before my eyes they helped the Benz driver out, who quickly dashed them 100 cedis for their effort.

He also told me there is a Police Patrol team also lurking around, and once they get a hint that there has been an accident they quickly rush to scene NOT to help the drivers or passengers or potential victims but extort money from the drivers whose cars are involved in the accident but want to avoid the stress of a Police case so we should hurry before they arrive at the scene ….can you imagine???

So the boys in the area are lurking at the corner hoping someone misses the diversion, ran into the ditch, so they can quickly rush to scene and help the person out for nokofio and the Police who are supposed to protect drivers and pedestrians alike also seeing the death trap everyday but ignoring it because accidents are a big business for them.

Where is the dignity of the Ghanaian life???

To the extent that a death trap looks like a business opportunity for the very people who are supposed to protect us is a testament of how rapid our State is failing!!

The MCE for the Nkawkaw area, the Ministry of Roads and Highways, the District Highway Engineers, the Member of Parliament in the area must all by tomorrow march to the spot, look at the death trap they have created with their own negligence and lack of respect for the Ghanaian life in the name of road construction and fix the problem they have created before we lose an innocent citizen or there’s any avoidable injury to pedestrians, hawkers and passengers and even destruction to properties.

They have up to 48 hours to fix this mess or else any life we loose on that road will be on their head and they will be charged with manslaughter!!!

Road Safety is a collective responsibility, accident prevention is a collective responsibility and everyone including drivers and state actors must all play their role properly to ensure that every Ghanaian travels and arrives home safely.

Enough of the talk and road safety campaigns, people must roll up their sleeves and get to work to keep the roads safe for us all.

I shall definitely bring you an update on the “NKAWKAW DIVERSION DEATH TRAP”…I’m not shutting up till they fix the mess until then anyone traveling on that stretch especially the traffic from Kumasi to Accra, please slow down greatly as you approach Nkawkaw, the spot where the women sell the bread, spread the news and save a life!

Let’s all keep safe and arrive safe.

Mensah Thompson
Executive Director, ASEPA