Motor bike, a cherished means of transport in Northern Ghana

Wa, Sept. 1, (Kuorsoh), GNA – Undoubtedly, motor bike is the most cherished, most common and most widely patronized means of transport in northern Ghana.

Its usage has become so common that a first time visitor does not need to conduct any quantitative research to establish that fact.

Just a simple look on the streets, in front of offices, market places, drinking spots, schools, hospitals and all other social gatherings is enough for a first time visitor to be convinced that motor bike is the most common and most widely used means of transport in the Northern, Upper East and Upper West regions.

Upcoming young men and women from the north usually look forward to owning motor bikes as their first means of transport.

Perhaps, it is less costly, more economical and can move anywhere.

One can get a motor bike to buy in every corner of Wa, the Upper Wes Regional capital, as they are often displayed by the road to attract customers.

It comes in different brands with the most popular one nicknamed “rubber-rubber” or “mapuka”, the ladies favorite.

Ladies are so attracted to this “mapuka” that most of them find it difficult to reject the proposal of a young man who owns one especially if it happens to be the latest brand in the market.

Rumour has it that before a woman agrees to be taken to the altar the man might have already given her key to her new “mapuka” or given her a very concrete assurance that immediately after the tying of the nod she is going to have it.

Even under-aged children who are prevented by their parents from riding motor bikes for reasons of safety often consider their parents to be wicked because of the pride they take in riding motorbikes.

Business is not booming for “trotro” drivers because of the popular nature of the motor bike and only God knows how they wish these motor bikes were not manufactured at all.

Truck pushers who carry goods on their trucks for market women to earn their living are now also cursing their stars because of the introduction of the new motor trailer.

The Chinese technology has again found its way into the motor manufacturing industry as the markets have been invaded with different types of China made motor bikes.

In my interactions with some students of the Wa campus of the University for Development Studies as well as Wa Polytechnic Students, the importance of the motor bike could not be overemphasized.

The motor bike is an indispensable and the most preferred means of transport to students of both institutions. According to them, the motor bike prevents one from the hustle he or she has to go through when using the “trotro”.

It further prevents them from going to lectures late as compared to the “trotro” where one has to wait by the road side for several minutes and sometimes hours before getting one to board for lectures.

This has brought about an increase in the demand for motor bikes.

According to the Upper West Regional branch of the Driver and Vehicle Licensing Authority (DVLA), 23,562 motor bikes were registered from January 2008 to June 2011.

The break down is 3,183 in 2008, 7,696 in 2009, 8,324 in 2010 and 4,359 from January to June 2011.

But there are lots of unregistered motor bikes in town battling with the police everyday in the streets of the Municipality.

The motorbike, as important as it is, is also the number one killer in the region according to the Upper West Regional Motor Traffic and Transport Unit of the Ghana Police Service (MTTU).

According to the Unit, 203 accidents involving motor bikes were reported to the Unit from the Wa Municipality since January 2005 to July 2011. Out of this, 103 died and 152 sustained injuries.

In 2005, 16 motor bikes were involved in accidents, killing eight people and injuring 14. The number of motor bikes involved however decreased to 13 in 2006 with the number of deaths and injuries also recording a marginal decrease of six and 13 respectively in the same year.

This again increased to 23 in 2007 with the number of deaths and injuries also increasing to nine and 18 respectively.

In 2008, the figures increased again recording 27 in the case of motor bikes involved and 15 deaths people 17 injuries.

The figures further recorded an increase of 30 and 35 respectively in 2009 and 2010 with their respective number of deaths and injuries also shooting up to 19 and 20 as well as 15 and 30.

From January to July 2011, the figures have already shot up to 59, causing 26 deaths and 45 injuries even before the end of the year.

The MTTU attributed the increases to the increase in the population of the Municipality which subsequently led to an increase in the number of motor bikes.

It further attributed the increase in accidents to the lack of respect for road traffic regulations, lack of defensive driving as well as careless, inexperienced and impatient driving.

The Wa campus of UDS lost a number of their students through these motor bike accidents.

Most of the students come from regions that the motor bike is not even known by many as a means of transport but as they gain admission into the University they are forced by circumstances to also buy motor bikes to aid their transportation.

The situation has therefore increased the number of inexperienced motor bike riders in the Municipality, hence, the increase in the number of accidents.

The NRSC in collaboration with the DVLA and the Police have organised forums to educate the students on the use of these motor bikes.

It has been suggested that these three institutions should establish a motorbike ridint training school or center where students as well as the public could pay a token fee to receive some training even before they buy their motor bikes.

DVLA can then provide the training school with some certified stickers to be given to people who have successfully completed the training to stick them on their motor bikes to show that they have received the professional training.

This will not only rake in revenue but will also ensure that there is sanity on the roads as far as reduction in accidents in the municipality is concerned.

A GNA feature by Prosper Kuorsoh