Day: June 27, 2024

The development of a new, standardised curriculum and an instructor’s manual for heavy goods drivers will raise their level of proficiency and improve road safety, Mr Kwaku Ofori Asiamah, Minister of Transport, has said.

‘Well-trained drivers are not only better equipped to perform their duties, but are also more confident and motivated, contributing to higher job satisfaction and overall industry standards,’ he said.

This was in a speech read on behalf of the Minister at the launch of the Standardised Curriculum and Manuals for Heavy Goods Vehicle Drivers in Accra.

The Curriculum and manual were developed by Transaid, a UK-based NGO and the Driver and Vehicle Licensing Authority (DVLA).

The manual is a comprehensive tool designed to enhance safety, streamline operations, and elevate professionalism within the industry.

The Minister said the documents would serve as a cornerstone in the country’s efforts to enhance the competencies of drivers and promote a culture of continuous improvement.

He said the
government would continue to strive to improve access to high-quality training for commercial drivers to equip them with the needed skills and expertise for service excellence.

The Minister advised employers of drivers to contribute to their development by investing in their training to improve their efficiency and competencies.

The Road Traffic Regulations, 2012, L.I. 2180, impose an obligation on all drivers, especially commercial drivers to undergo mandatory refresher training courses before their licenses are renewed or upgraded. 

Mr Asiamah stated that the agenda of the government to ensure road safety would not make progress if vehicle owners continued to place more importance on earnings than safety.

He charged the DVLA, the National Road Safety Authority, and all stakeholders in the road safety space to include vehicle owners in their safety campaigns to ensure a holistic approach to dealing with the carnage on the roads.

The Minister urged transport operators to embrace the documents as their ‘h
oly book’ by ensuring that the manual was put to good use. 

Mr Kwasi Agyeman Busia, Chief Executive, DVLA, said the curriculum would address the challenges faced with the complexity of road infrastructure.

Ghana, he said, suffered economic losses due to road traffic crashes, amounting to 1.6 per cent of the Gross Domestic Product.

Mr Busia said the manuals integrated best practices in safety management, ensuring that every driver was well equipped for safety in all spheres.

Mr Jsaon Finch, Project Lead, Transaid, UK, said discussions would be initiated to harmonise the manuals with ECOWAS to ensure road safety.

Dr Fareed Arthur, National Coordinator, Africa, Africa Continental Free Trade Area, underscored the importance of the documents in unlocking the Africa space to facilitate seamless transportation within the continent.

Source: Ghana News Agency

Mr Djerassem Mbaiorem, UNHCR’s Head of Office in Bolgatanga in the Upper East Region has noted that the Solution to the refugee situation is not rocket science.

He said it requires interventions in education, health, livelihood opportunity, and access to water is key for them to live dignified lives.

He said everything would be doable if all stakeholders commonly ensured their responsibility in terms of protecting and assisting the refugees to live peacefully with host communities.

Mr Mbaiorem who said this in an interview with the GNA at Tarikom settlement in Bawku West District was grateful to the chiefs and people of Tarikom for the peaceful coexistence with the refugees and noted that though initially the refugees entertained fears of living at the settlement, over the period the leadership of the refugees had established the trust and even moved to the chiefs compounds to interact with elders there.

He indicated that shelter and livelihood challenges to improve the daily conditions of the refugees we
re still inadequate and he said the UNHCR was working with donors and other development agencies to see how they can help improve the situation.

‘We are still discussing with other donors and development agencies to see how they can help with more infrastructure and facilities in the host community especially classrooms, shelter and CHPS compound’. The Head of the office noted.

‘The schools have more than 800 children and if we have more children coming, the school will be over-crowded and so we need to support other schools around hence the need for more infrastructures for the children,’ he said.

He also mentioned the need for support for a CHPS centre to enhance the service delivery capacity of the health centre and or health workers to give first aid response and receive deliveries of pregnant mothers since pregnant women are sent to the district hospital in Zebilla hospital.

Some of the organizations he mentioned were currently at the camp at Tarikom supporting ADRA helping with livelihood activities
among others while other religious and NGOs have provided support to the refugees.

He also noted that the Ghana Refugee Board (GRB), Department of Women and children, and Social Welfare were also working to address child protection issues and to make sure refugees’ psychosocial issues were addressed.

Mr Mbaiorem said since March refugees have been receiving cash donations to enable them to meet their basic needs and nutrition needs and together with UNHCR were supporting the refugees with livelihood activities to restore their dignity.

He said children at the camp have access to National services including the NHIS while about 250 of the children were enrolled in the primary school and Junior high schools in the community.

He advised refugees to abide by the laws and rules of the country, endeavour to keep their environment clean and live peacefully with host communities while interventions for more shelter, which was a challenge were sought for them.

Speaking on Ghana’s Asylum policy, Mr Mbaiorem noted
the free movement policy of asylum seekers and praised the efforts of the Ghana government in ensuring all refugees living close to border communities moved to the settlement camp.

He said the initial settlement created for the refugees in Sapeliga, also in the Bawku West, just two kilometres to the borders of Burkina Faso was a threat to them and therefore commended the directives by the government of Ghana to ensure that refugees stayed away from the border areas for security reasons and avoidance of spillover of the conflict in Burkina Faso.

Source: Ghana News Agency

The Ministry of Local Government, Decentralisation and Rural Development (MLGDRD) has clarified a recent news report misrepresenting Mr Ekow Vincent Assafuah, Deputy Minister of MLGDRD’s comments on poverty levels in Ghana.

A press statement made available to the Ghana News Agency by the Public Relations Office of the MLGDRD said the news item, which was published by TV3 misrepresented the comments made by the Deputy Minister during an interview.

It said the article inaccurately suggested that the Deputy Minister claimed poverty levels in Ghana were far better than those in the United States.

The statement said during the interview, Mr Assafuah was primarily focused on propagating the achievements of the Ministry.

‘When asked about the economic hardships faced by Ghanaians and their ability to afford basic needs, the Deputy Minister acknowledged that these are indeed challenging times,’ it added.

The statement said he highlighted that Ghana, like many other nations, was not immune to the adverse effects
of the COVID-19 pandemic and the Russian-Ukraine war.

It said the Deputy Minister further elaborated that economic hardship was a global issue, not unique to Ghana.

The statement said to provide context, he mentioned that 37.5 million people in the United States were living in poverty and that this was intended to illustrate that even highly developed countries were experiencing significant economic challenges.

‘It is crucial to maintain accuracy and context when reporting on public statements to ensure a well-informed discussion’

‘Misrepresenting the Deputy Minister’s comments does not contribute to the productive discourse necessary to address these pressing issues,’ the statement added.

It said a video of the interview was available online and on the social media handles of the Ministry for verification.

The statement said the ministry remained steadfast in its commitment to improving the living conditions of all Ghanaians and addressing the economic challenges faced.

Source: Ghana News Agency

The alleged decision by the chief and people of Fiapre in the Bono Region to swear an oath of allegiance to the Asantehene and the Asanteman Council, has attracted the displeasure of the Odomase Number One Traditional Council in the Sunyani West Municipality.

The Council, presided by Odomfour Dr Kwasi Apraku, the Paramount Chief of Odomase Number One Traditional Area, has therefore, cautioned the people of Fiapre, near Sunyani to rescind that decision for their own interest, and that of the yet to be born generation.

Addressing a news conference at Odomase, the municipal capital on Thursday, Nana Yaa Adanse Poduo II, the Paramount Queen-mother of Odomase Number One explained Fiapre lands were part of the Odomase Number One, and the people had no traditional right to owe allegiance to the Golden Stool.

‘We are aware of the decision being taken by the Fiarpehene Obrempong Professor Kyem Amponsah II to owe allegiance to the Golden Stool (Sikadwa) of the Asanteman council. As a chief, he can take that personal
decision, however, not with the Fiapre stool,’ she indicated.

Flanked by other sub-chiefs, and clad in mourning regalia and red armbands, Nana Poduo II, cautioned the chiefs of Fiapre, warning that such a decision would not only attract the wrath of the Odomase Number One stool, but majority of the chiefs and people of Fiapre and Odomase.

‘The chiefs and people of Fiapre are aware that their ancestors pleaded, and the Odomase Number Traditional Council gave the Fiapre land as a refuge to them. This is an ancient history the Fiapre people can’t hide from it,’ the Queen-mother stated.

She said the chief and people of Fiapre would remain ungrateful, if they failed to recognise and acknowledge the numerous assistances, they received from Odomase Number One in those days, saying ‘the Fiapre people can swear allegiance to Asanteman only if they move from our land’.

Until that was done, Nana Poduo II vowed that there was no way the Asantehene could reign over the chief and people of Fiapre.

In a brief history,
Nana Godlove Boateng, the Abusuapanyin (head of family) of the Krontri Royal Division of the Odomase Number One Traditional Area explained the chief and people of the Odomase were the first to settle in the Municipality around 1606.

‘I think the Fiapre people must go back to history and study and understand their origin before they take that decision,’ he stated.

Source: Ghana News Agency