MTN Ghana, in partnership with the Motor Traffic and Transport Department (MTTD) of the Ghana Police Service, has organised a sensitisation training for staff who use official company vehicles and managers of the company’s fleet.
The training, held on Friday, aimed at equipping employees with knowledge of existing and upcoming road safety policies and ensuring heightened precaution whenever they are on the road.
Addressing participants, Chief Superintendent Alexander Obeng, Director in Charge of Education, Research and Development at the MTTD headquarters in Accra, warned that Ghana is currently grappling with a “worrying increase” in road crashes and their devastating consequences.
“Between January and October this year alone, we have recorded over 13,000 reported cases involving more than 20,000 vehicles,” he revealed. “We are also dealing with 2,400 unauthorised riders and over 13,000 injury cases. All these represent increases over the same period last year.”
According to him, the surge in crashes demands stronger collaboration and proactive public sensitisation. The training, he said, is part of broader efforts under the National Road Safety Strategy to build safer road users, especially within the corporate space.
“We are here to enhance alertness, build capacity, and strengthen the attitudes of corporate drivers because they are multi-tasking behind the wheel. They must constantly undergo periodic training as required under Regulation 33 of L.I. 2180,” he explained.
Chief Supt. Obeng disclosed that the Ghana Police Service is preparing to roll out a new technology-driven enforcement regime in which independent cameras and scanners will monitor and record as many as 44 traffic offences.
“Offences such as speeding, running red lights, unlawful stopping, tailgating, and driving on shoulders of the road will be automatically captured,” he noted. “Police will issue electronic notices of violation via text messages, instead of relying solely on traditional court processes.”
He stressed that the new system, developed under the Traffic Tech GH initiative, forms part of Ghana’s commitment to the UN Decade of Action for Road Safety 2030. “We are grooming safer road users who will apply safe speeds even in the absence of police officers,” he said. “This will go a long way to protect vulnerable road users, themselves, and the wider community.”
Chief Supt. Obeng commended MTN Ghana for the partnership, describing the company’s drivers as “important agents of change” in the quest to curb the rising crash statistics. He expressed confidence that with sustained collaboration, Ghana can significantly reduce road crashes, injuries and fatalities by 2025.
Source: www.kumasimail.com
