Cape Coast schoolchildren appeal for safety on roads

Some schoolchildren in Cape Coast have appealed for the construction of walkways in their communities to ensure their safety on their way to and from school. 

They observed that many roads with sidewalks in the metropolis had been neglected, leaving children without secure pathways to navigate their daily routes.

This appeal was made during a research dissemination session titled "Using a Peer Research Methodology to Investigate Children's Mobility Challenges in Secondary Cities in Ghana and Liberia: A Comparative Study of Cape Coast and Ganta," which was held at the University of Cape Coast.

The research was conducted with students from various schools, including the University Practice Senior High School, Academy Christ the King, St. Augustine’s College, Oguaa Senior Technical School, St.Lawrence Junior High School, Abura Ahmadiyya Basic School, St. Monica’s Girls Junior High School, Philip Quaque Boys School and Ola Presby Basic School.

The event brought together a wide array of stakeholders, including representatives from the Ghana Education Service (GES), National Road Safety Authority, National Youth Authority, Ghana Police Service, Motor Traffic and Transport Department (MTTD), Cape Coast Metropolitan Assembly (CCMA), researchers, school heads and parents.

Concerns

During the session, the children expressed numerous challenges they faced while navigating the roads to school.

Many lamented the lack of consideration by drivers, noting that even at pedestrian crossings, drivers often failed to stop, causing delays and creating unsafe conditions.

One participant shared a tragic story of a sibling who lost her life some few months ago due to a driver’s recklessness at a road crossing.

Additionally, some children spoke of resorting to alternate, less busy routes to avoid danger, which sometimes exposed them to other risks, including the threat of kidnapping and robbery.

They also observed that the lack of buses for many public schools  compounded the problem, noting this forced many students, especially younger ones, to walk long distances which often put them in danger.

The children, therefore, appealed to all stakeholders to prioritise their safety by constructing walkways and implementing measures to protect them on their daily journeys.

While acknowledging the risks, the children also highlighted some benefits of walking, which included keeping them physically active.

They also observed that walking provided them the opportunity for peer engagement, enabling them to share educational discussions and bond as they walked together.

Stakeholder discussions

Addressing the meeting, the Central Region Motor and Traffic Transport Department Commander, Chief Superintendent Fii Ochil, acknowledged the need for improved road safety education.

He revealed that existing campaigns primarily targeted passengers and drivers, leaving out students.

The Commander pledged to extend education initiatives to basic and senior high schools, emphasising the need for children to understand road safety protocols.

Research approach

A co-investigator in the project, Dr Samuel Asiedu Owusu, provided insights into the study’s methodology, explaining that the research team decided to involve children as peer researchers, recognising that young participants were more likely to open up to their peers.

He, therefore, said 12 students from nine schools in Cape Coast were trained to conduct the study, allowing them to voice their concerns directly to policymakers.

Dr Owusu added that similar research had been conducted in other African countries such as South Africa and Malawi.