By: Binta Jaiteh
Essa Drammeh, Director of Transport Ministry of Transport, Works and Infrastructure has said that The Gambia is among the countries with the worst road traffic rate.
Drammeh made this remark on Friday at the launching of the Gambia Road Safety Action Plan 2022 held at Sir Dawda Kairaba Conference Centre.
According to the available statistics, the Gambia recorded about 155 road traffic deaths in 2021. “Given the population of the country which is little over two million, these statistics put the Gambia among the countries with the worst road traffic rate in the world. Road traffic deaths and injury is a significant cause of death and disability, and generates economic losses to the country,” he said.
He disclosed that it is estimated that each year road traffic deaths and injuries cost the country over GMD2 billion through treatment costs, loss of productivity, ongoing pain and suffering, noting people make mistakes while using the road and should not pay for a mistake with death or serious injury.
“Human error, some crashes are inevitable, but we must reduce the impact speed to ensure that people do not suffer death or serious injury as a result government, business and communities have a responsibility,” he noted.
Ebrima Sillah, Minister of Works, Transport and Infrastructure, said that the Gambia has achieved a significant milestone in improving her road safety efforts and strategies by formulating the first Road Safety Action Plan.
“It could be recalled that one of the most important recommendations of the first Global Status Report on Road Safety Prepared in 2004, was that, any country that is serious in combating its road safety efforts must develop a Road Safety Policy and Strategy with measurable targets,” he said.
He explained that after the failure of the first decade of actions for Road Safety, 2011 -2020 to meet its targets, the Second Global Plan for the Decade of Action, 2021-2030 frowns at business as usual and calls on Governments and stakeholders to take a new trajectory.
This new path, he said, must prioritize and implement an integrated Safe System Approach that squarely positions road safety as a key driver of sustainable development.
However, the plan calls for actions that will help the world hit the target of a 50% reduction in the number of road traffic deaths and serious injuries by 2030.