Deputy Minister of Roads and Transport, Titus Glover, has hailed drivers for their contribution to the development of the country.
According to him, the President of Ghana and the Ministry appreciate the role drivers play in the total development of the country.
He however urged that “drivers have to put up a good image in their profession; training of drivers to ply on our roads is very essential as road safety was the responsibility of all.”
Mr. Glover was speaking at the launch of the 2019 edition of the Ghana Driver and Road Safety Awards themed: “Rewarding Driving Excellence, Promoting Road Safety.”
He said the transport ministry working in collaboration with the road safety commission, was putting in place measures to ensure safety on the road for both drivers and other road users.
He indicated that initiatives like frequent checks on vehicles and driver’s license would be done on the roads.
Mr. Glover also noted that a new passage identification form would be introduced especially for long distance travelers to aid authorities to keep truck of travelers and ensure their safety.
Executive Director, National Road Safety Commission, Ing. May Obiri Yeboah, in her speech, commended the organisers of the Ghana Driver and Road Safety Awards (GDRSA) for the initiative which has started yielding results.
“Of particular mention is the fact that some unlicensed commercial drivers will get the cost of their driving school attendance as well as DVLA licensing fees taken up as part of the 2019 GDRSA programme,” she noted.
Director of Partnerships, GDRSA, Freda Frimpong, said the programme has the ambitious target of halving road traffic fatalities over the next 10 years through driver training, promotion of road safety within the driving populace, rewarding driving excellence, and making road safety champions out of drivers.
She encouraged more female commercial drivers to participate and compete with the male commercial drivers for the award.
“We have created a ‘Female Driver Category’ to encourage more women to come on board to compete in driving excellence,” she said.
Caption: Mr. Glover cutting the tape for the grand prize to signify the launch of the 2019 GDRSA.
By Nadia Nimako & Jamila Akweley Okertchiri