Residents of Atua in the Lower Manya Krobo Municipality are calling for proactive policing, community cooperation, and stricter enforcement to curb reckless motorcycling on the newly tarred Atua Hospital Road and protect patients and pedestrians.
They have urged the Odumase-Krobo Command of the Ghana Police Service to increase patrols on the stretch, saying the speeding and careless riding posed a growing danger to road users, especially visitors and patients accessing the Atua Government Hospital.
According to residents, excessive speeding and disregard for basic road safety regulations by some young motorcyclists threatened pedestrians, patients and other road users.
Ms Philomina Tekpertey, a resident, told the Ghana News Agency (GNA) that a young man lost his life a few months ago after his motorbike collided with a taxi on the same stretch.
“The boy who died was not even up to 30 years. We have advised them several times, but they refuse to listen. We do not want another life to be lost, especially on a road that leads to a hospital,” she said.
She urged the police to conduct regular patrols in the morning, afternoon and evening to enforce traffic laws and ensure discipline among riders.
Mr Gabriel Tettebio, an opinion leader in the community, attributed the situation to indiscipline and weak enforcement of traffic regulations.
“The road was recently tarred to improve access to healthcare and transportation, but it has now become a speeding zone for some of the youth. If two or three offenders are arrested and prosecuted, it will serve as a deterrent to others,” he said.
He suggested that the police consider mounting a temporary post along the hospital road for at least one or two weeks to restore order.
Mr Tettebio further noted that many riders operated without helmets and with modified exhaust pipes that produced excessive noise, contrary to road traffic regulations.
Health workers at the Atua Government Hospital have also expressed concern about the development.
A senior female nurse at the facility, who spoke on condition of anonymity, described the persistent speeding and loud motorcycle noise as disturbing to patients receiving treatment and those recovering at the hospital.
“This is a health facility where people need a calm environment to recover. The noise and over-speeding are not appropriate for a hospital setting,” she said.
She warned that the situation places discharged patients, visitors and vulnerable persons at risk, as people frequently cross the road to and from the hospital.
“If care is not taken, someone coming for treatment or returning home after discharge could be knocked down,” she said. For many residents of Atua, the issue is not the road itself, but the behaviour of those who use it. They believe that without strict enforcement and community cooperation, infrastructure meant to promote development could continue to pose unintended risks.
