TAMALE, the Northern
Regional capital, could easily earn the reputation as the motor city of Ghana
as the streets of this sprawling northern city is dominated by motorcycles of
various kinds.
Unfortunately,
wearing of helmets is the exception rather than the norm.
Each
day, hundreds of motor riders take to the streets of Tamale meandering their
way through chains of vehicles without crush helmets. Among these recalcitrant
riders, we have children, youth and adults, many of whom are females.
It
is difficult to decipher why a sane person, fully conscious of how crucial, but
fragile, the human head is, would pick a motorbike, zoom off like thunderbolt,
without a crush helmet for protection.
It
is even more difficult to appreciate why women, who are perceived as more
conscious of safety, would be riding motorcycles, although admiringly, without
any protective gear.
