At the recent Akwasidae festival held in Suhum in the Eastern Region, traditional authorities and healthcare professionals united to voice growing concern over two alarming trends.
The rise in drug abuse and the increasing number of motorcycle (okada)-related accidents among Ghana’s youth.
Barima Amoako Darko, the Akyempimhene of Suhum, used the revered cultural platform to draw national attention to what he described as a dual crisis affecting the very fabric of Ghanaian society.
“These substances are taking a serious toll, especially on our okada riders,” he said, referring to drugs like marijuana (weed), tramadol, and the locally known ‘red’.
“It is no surprise that the Nsawam Government Hospital is overwhelmed with accident cases. If we don’t stop this now, we’ll lose the very workforce our country needs.”
According to Barima Amoako Darko, the abuse of drugs among the youth—particularly those in the Okada transport business—is contributing significantly to a surge in road traffic accidents.
He emphasized that addressing this issue should be a collective responsibility and called on traditional rulers across the country to step up in defending their communities from what he called a “national threat.”
In a similar vein, Nana Kwamena Ansah I, the Chief of Nsawam, reinforced the urgent need to address the situation through education and development-focused initiatives.
“We’ve made some strides with Okada regulation, but our priority must now be on education—especially in ICT and drug awareness. We must protect our young people from these dangerous substances,” he stated.
Their concerns were echoed by Dr. Richard Nii Duodoo Dodoo, Medical Superintendent at the Nsawam Government Hospital, who shared sobering statistics on the hospital’s daily intake of Okada accident victims.
“Every single day, we admit victims of Okada accidents—some die, others lose limbs. It has become one of our biggest challenges, and it’s putting immense pressure on our staff and resources,” he said.
Dr. Dodoo also linked the issue to a lack of sustainable employment for the youth, pushing many into the Okada business despite the inherent risks.
“If we can offer them viable alternatives to the Okada business, we can reduce these accidents and save lives,” he said.
The Akwasidae festival, traditionally a celebration of heritage and community, thus became a platform for a critical national conversation—one that called for collaboration among chiefs, health practitioners, politicians, and civil society to protect Ghana’s future workforce from the dual threat of drug addiction and road accidents.
The call to action signals a broader appeal for preventive measures, youth empowerment programs, and more structured policies to curb the devastating trends.
The leaders stressed that unless prompt interventions are taken, Ghana risks facing a deteriorating public health and safety crisis among its most productive demographic.
