By Albert Futukpor
Tamale, Aug. 15, GNA – MTN Ghana has organised a training programme on professional defensive driving for its staff as part of efforts to enhance their capacity, skills, knowledge and attitude towards safe driving.
A total of 25 staff members of the company from the Northern, Upper East and Upper West Regions participated in the one-day training held in Tamale.
The training focused on safe vehicle use, vehicle requirements, road safety and the Road Traffic Regulations, 2026 (L.I. 2519).
It formed part of MTN Ghana’s annual initiative to equip staff members who use company vehicles with knowledge of road traffic regulations and responsible driving practices.
More than 300 MTN Ghana staff members, including technicians, sales personnel and pool drivers who use company vehicles across the country, are expected to participate in this year’s training programme.
Assistant Commissioner of Police (ACP) Alexander Kwaku Obeng, Director in charge of Education, Research and Training at the Motor Traffic and Transport Department (MTTD), and a facilitator at the training, said the programme was necessary as the country transitioned to digital traffic enforcement under L.I. 2519.
ACP Obeng explained that the new system would enable the Police to use cameras and other digital devices to gather evidence of traffic offences and issue electronic notices of violation to drivers or vehicle owners.
He said the Ghana Police Service was currently building the capacity of its personnel and strengthening its systems to implement the digital traffic enforcement system, which would complement physical enforcement and improve compliance among road users.
Giving an update on the country’s road safety situation, ACP Obeng said preliminary figures from January to July this year indicated a marginal reduction in road crashes compared with the corresponding period last year.
He, however, noted that “one death is one too many” and stressed the need for sustained efforts to address speeding, poor road conditions, inadequate vehicle maintenance and other factors contributing to road crashes.
Mr Kwesi Bona Otuo-Srebour, Acting Director of Vehicle Inspection and Registration at the Driver and Vehicle Licensing Authority (DVLA), commended MTN Ghana for instituting the training programme for its staff.
He encouraged other corporate institutions to adopt similar initiatives to ensure that their drivers remained abreast of changes in road traffic regulations and their responsibilities as road users.
Meanwhile, no staff member driving an MTN vehicle was involved in a fatal road crash last year.
GNA
Edited by Eric K Amoh/Lydia Kukua Asamoah
Writer: Albert Futukpor
Email: [email protected]