VIVO Energy promotes road safety campaign

VIVO Energy Ghana, in partnership with the National Road Safety Commission and the Ghana Education Service (GES), has organised a refresher training programme for some basic schools in Greater Accra to promote road safety campaigns in the country.

The purpose of the programme is to create awareness and encourage a higher sense of responsibility among road users.

Speaking at the programme Managing Director of VIVO Energy Ghana, Ebenezer Faulkner, in his keynote address commended GES and the National Road Safety Commission (NRSC) for their efforts in educating and sensitising Ghanaians to reduce fatalities and injuries on our roads.

He said that despite the campaign’s success over the years, statistics show that more than 2,000 people are killed through road accidents and over 12,000 people sustain various degrees of injuries across Ghana every year.

The Greater Accra Region alone recorded 995 road accidents in January and February 2015.

“This situation must concern everyone, and VIVO Energy Ghana has therefore taken the initiative to partner with the National Road Safety Commission and GES to further advance education among schoolchildren.

“VIVO Energy Ghana believes in the “catch them young” strategy, with the hope that if children start learning about road safety from a very early age it will lead to safer behaviour in later life,” he said.

Mr. Faulkner assured the public that VIVO Energy Ghana will continue to support and show its commitment to road safety and provide the support needed as the company collaborates with other agencies to shape the attitudes and behaviour of children and young people.

The Greater Accra Regional Manager of NRSC, Daniel Wuaku, expressed his gratitude to VIVO Energy for initiating such a programme, especially in areas where accidents are rampant in the region-- Odorkor, Madina, Tesano, the N1 highway, Awoshie-Pokuase motorway.

He expressed worry that almost 23 percent of all pedestrian fatalities involve children below the age of sixteen, while most of the children are killed on roads that are familiar to them and mostly when they children attempt crossing.

“This situation is reversible, if we can all translate the passion that brought us here today into implementing the basic best road use practices to make our roads safer for ourselves and especially for our vulnerable children,” he said.

Mrs. Felicia Boakye Yiadom, the Greater Accra Regional Director of GES, also commented on the importance of the initiative by VIVO Energy.

“I am happy about this programme because the main thrust is that it is going to affect the children through interactive practices, and that is what we need,” she said.

She called on all participating schools to support the programme.