A section of the participants with traditional leaders
TotalEnergies Marketing Ghana PLC has officially launched the VIA Safe Mobility Education Programme, a global initiative aimed at promoting safe mobility among young people, particularly schoolchildren, across Ghana.
The programme forms part of the company’s broader commitment to safety as a core value that extends beyond its business operations into the communities it serves.
The VIA Safe Mobility Education Programme is an educational initiative targeted at young people under the age of 18. It was created by the TotalEnergies Foundation in partnership with the Michelin Corporate Foundation to address the growing risks faced by children in their daily journeys to and from school.
Since its inception in 2019, the programme has educated more than one million young people worldwide and is currently being implemented in 45 countries across over 2,000 schools.
Speaking at the launch, the Ashanti Regional Commander of the Motor Traffic and Transport Department (MTTD) of the Ghana Police Service, Superintendent Kwame Boadi, called for collective action to improve road safety in the country. He stressed that road safety requires more than enforcement, urging stronger education, prevention, and collaboration among stakeholders to protect lives, especially those of children.
Delivering the keynote address as Guest of Honour, Kwaso Hene, Nana Osei Fosu, described the launch of the programme in Ghana as a significant step towards safer roads and the protection of young lives. He noted that the strength of the initiative lies in youth education and behavioural change, adding that its success will depend on the commitment of VIA ambassadors, teachers, and participating communities.
He commended the TotalEnergies Foundation for promoting safe mobility among young people and praised TotalEnergies Marketing Ghana PLC and Oli Best Road Safety Organization for introducing and implementing the initiative in Ghana.
Speaking on behalf of the Managing Director of TotalEnergies Marketing Ghana PLC, the Kumasi Area Manager, Ernest Butias, reiterated that safety remains a core value of the company and extends beyond its operations to protecting children on Ghana’s roads.
The VIA Programme adopts a participatory and empowering approach, placing young people at the centre of road safety education. Selected students are trained as VIA ambassadors, enabling them to observe their surroundings, identify risks around their schools, promote safe behaviour, and lead awareness campaigns within their communities.
Through this model, students become active contributors to improving road safety rather than passive recipients of instruction.
In Ghana, the programme will be implemented in collaboration with key education and road safety stakeholders, including relevant authorities, schools, communities, and the Oli Best Road Safety Organization as the local implementing partner.
Mr. Butias emphasised that the launch of the programme marks the beginning of a long-term commitment to fostering safer habits, safer environments, and safer futures for children.
He reiterated the company’s belief that every child deserves to go to school safely and return home without harm, and called on parents, teachers, drivers, institutions, and communities to work together to make safe mobility an everyday reality for young people in Ghana.
FROM David Afum, Kumasi