More than 300 vehicle users of MTN Ghana have undergone intensive road safety training in Kumasi as part of efforts to reduce road crashes and promote responsible driving practices among motorists.
The training workshop, organised by MTN Ghana in collaboration with the Driver and Vehicle Licensing Authority (DVLA) and the Motor Traffic and Transport Department (MTTD) of the Ghana Police Service, focused on equipping drivers with the knowledge and skills required to prevent road crashes and protect lives.
The initiative formed part of MTN Ghana’s commitment to ensuring the safety and wellbeing of its employees, drivers and other road users who interact with its fleet of vehicles on a daily basis.
Participants were taken through a number of critical road safety issues, including defensive driving, road traffic regulations, speeding, driver distraction and the dangers associated with the use of mobile phones while driving.
Digital enforcement system.
Speaking at the workshop, the Director in charge of Research and Education at the MTTD Headquarters, ACP Alexander Obeng, disclosed that the Ghana Police Service, in collaboration with the DVLA, had introduced a new digital enforcement system to strengthen compliance with the Road Traffic Regulations, 2012 (L.I. 2180).
He said the digital system was designed to make road traffic enforcement more efficient while improving motorists’ compliance with road safety regulations.
According to him, the system was directly linked to the DVLA’s driver and vehicle licence register through an Application Programming Interface (API).
ACP Obeng explained that under the new arrangement, police officers could conduct on-the-spot checks using a motorist’s driver’s licence number.
He said once a violation was detected, the system would generate an electronic notice of violation, which would subsequently be sent to the driver’s mobile phone through a text message.
He further explained that motorists who were issued with fines or penalties would be required to make payments through the government’s digital payment platform, Ghana.gov.gh.
The initiative, he said, was expected to reduce delays associated with traditional enforcement processes while making it easier for authorities to track traffic offences and improve accountability.
Crackdown on illegal sirens.
ACP Obeng also disclosed that the Police Service had intensified its nationwide crackdown on the unlawful use of sirens, strobe lights and beacon lights by motorists.
He revealed that 11,292 vehicles had been intercepted nationwide within the past one-and-a-half months for allegedly using such devices illegally.
Out of the total number of vehicles intercepted, 1,736 were recorded in the Ashanti Region, Accra and its environs, highlighting the scale of the problem in major urban centres.
He stressed that the enforcement exercise was not limited to selected areas but was being carried out across all 205 police divisions nationwide.
ACP Obeng warned motorists and vehicle owners against the unauthorised use of emergency warning devices, saying the Police would continue to enforce the relevant regulations to ensure that such devices were reserved for vehicles and situations legally permitted under the law.
He said strict enforcement was necessary to prevent motorists from abusing such devices to gain undue advantage on the road and potentially endanger other road users.
DVLA education.
Also speaking at the workshop, the Acting Director for the Vehicle Inspection Department of the DVLA, Mr. Kwasi Bonnah Otuo Sireboe, educated participants on the proper use of driver’s licences and the various licence classes.
He urged drivers to ensure that their licences were valid and properly registered on the DVLA system before operating vehicles.
Mr. Sireboe explained that understanding the different categories and classes of driver’s licences was essential to ensuring that motorists operated only vehicles they were legally authorised and competent to drive.
He also encouraged drivers to regularly check the validity of their licences and ensure that all relevant vehicle documentation was in order.
Call for corporate responsibility
Mr. Sireboe commended the management of MTN Ghana for organising the training programme, describing it as an important intervention that could contribute significantly to improving road safety.
He said road safety should not be left entirely to law enforcement agencies and regulatory institutions, stressing that corporate organisations also had a responsibility to protect their employees and other road users.
He therefore encouraged other companies and institutions that operated fleets of vehicles to organise similar training programmes for their drivers.
According to him, regular education and refresher training could help drivers appreciate the consequences of reckless driving and adopt safer practices behind the wheel.
Preventing road crashes.
The workshop underscored the importance of defensive driving as one of the key measures for preventing road crashes.
Drivers were reminded to remain alert, observe road signs and markings, maintain safe speeds and avoid distractions while driving.
Particular emphasis was placed on the dangers of using mobile phones while driving, a practice which can divert a driver’s attention from the road and significantly increase the risk of crashes.
Participants were also encouraged to exercise patience and discipline, particularly in congested urban areas where traffic situations can change rapidly.
MTN Ghana’s collaboration with the DVLA and MTTD is expected to strengthen the company’s internal road safety culture while contributing to broader national efforts to reduce road traffic accidents.
The initiative also comes at a time when road safety remains a major concern, with authorities continuing to intensify education and enforcement aimed at encouraging motorists to comply with traffic laws.
The organisers expressed the expectation that participants would apply the knowledge acquired during the workshop in their daily operations and serve as ambassadors for responsible road use.
The training therefore served not only as an educational programme for MTN Ghana’s vehicle users but also as a reminder to businesses and motorists generally that road safety requires a shared commitment from drivers, vehicle owners, regulators, law enforcement agencies and the public.
