Ing Obiri Yeboah (second from right), DSP Alex Obeng (MTTD middle), Ebenezer Faulkner (second from left)
Vivo Energy has organised a health screening exercise for commercial drivers at the Tema Station in Accra.
Christened, ‘Fit2Drive Road Safety Campaign,’ the event was to encourage drivers to periodically go for medical check-ups to know their health status and prevent road accidents.
Managing Director of Vivo Energy Ghana, Ebenezer Faulkner, in an address, said it was unfortunate that in recent times road accidents account for more deaths than diseases.
He said although some accidents were unforeseen and uncontrollable, others were avoidable.
Mr. Faulkner added that all stakeholders in the transport sector must collaborate with the NRSC to protect the lives of passengers at all times.
Apart from the health screening, Mr Faulker said Vivo also has plans to organise defensive driving training for commercial bus drivers, donate an alcohol meter to bus terminals in the Greater Accra and Ashanti Regions, introduce road safety education and donate helmets to over 500 motorcyclists.
The firm intends to mount zebra crossings outside schools along high-risk roads and hold the annual junior road safety programme designed for schools.
Executive Director of the National Road and Safety Commission, May Obiri Yeboah, said drivers play an important role in the lives of Ghanaians and pleaded with them to transport passengers to and from their destinations safely.
She also revealed that the NRSC would organize refresher courses to help drivers upgrade themselves.
Member of Parliament (MP) for Ledzokuku, Dr Bernard Okoe Boye, who commended Vivo Energy Ghana for the gesture, advised commercial drivers to make it a habit of checking their health status periodically.
According to statistics from the National Road and Safety Commission, a total of 2,076 people died in road traffic accidents in 2017 as against 2,084 people in 2016.
In all, 8,080 commercial vehicles, 8,877 private vehicles and 3,487 motorcycles were involved in accidents.
By Ebenezer Gyamerah & Naki Juliana Odonkor
Â
Â