New Child Road Safety Programme Officially Launched In Ghana....Child Road Safety Programme To Reach Ten African Countries

PUMA Energy, Amend, VALD provide Road Safety education to over 15,000 children

in 57 schools in the greater Accra area
Drivers encouraged to employ PUMA Energy’s ‘Be Road Safe’ tactics and to desist from dangerous driving

TheVision for Alternative Development (VALD), in partnership with the PUMAEnergy Foundation and the road safety NGO Amend, this morning officially launched aChild Road Safety programme at the St. Joseph Anglican School in Accra, Ghana. The Ministry of Transport, represented by the National Road Safety Commission’s Head of Planning and Monitoring, Mr David Adonteng, and the Ministry of Education, represented by Ghana Education Service’s Director General, Mr Jacob A.M. Kor, officiated as guests of honour at the event.

This Child Road Safety programme is part of the Amendand PUMAEnergy Foundation’s ten-country campaign to educate and protect a total of over 115,000 school-going children across the continent from road traffic injury.

In addition to Ghana, the project is taking place inTanzania, Botswana, Malawi, Namibia, Mozambique, Zambia, Lesotho, Swaziland and Senegal. It will coordinate road safety education programmes in schools, distribute reflector-enhanced school bags, and conduct media and government advocacy for safer roads.

In Ghana, road traffic deaths and injuries represent a serious and rapidly worsening public health crisis. According to the World Health Organization, over2,000 people are killed on the country’s roads every year. Among the victimsare many vulnerable children who face grave risks as they walk to and from school every day.

The PUMAEnergy Foundation is confident the launch of this campaign is most timely and that together with Amend and VALD their active involvement will play a significant role in preserving the lives of Ghana’s next generation of leaders, thus positively impacting the future of the nation.

Speaking during the launch, PUMAEnergy Foundation representative, Zohra McDoolley Aimone said: “Today is an exciting day: it is about more than introducing a new Child Road Safety campaign; it is about planting a seed for Ghana’s future. It’s about reflecting on the road safety challenges which Ghana has been facing over the years, grasping the lessons learnt, and jointly working towards improving road behaviour to preserve the lives of the country’s children”.

The National Road Safety Commission representative, Mr Adontengcommended PUMA Energy, VALD and Amend for working together to promote good road behaviour and protect the lives of Ghana’s children.

PUMA Energy Ghana implored all road users to work together to make the roads safer for children by obeying the traffic rules and avoiding any road risks.

PUMA Energy Ghana representative, Mr David Quaye commented: “As we launch the Child Road Safety Programme today, I would like to appeal to all road users to help make roads safer for children by adhering to road rules set by the National Road Safety Commission. I particularly urge drivers to employ our ‘Be Road Safe’ tactics and desist from dangerous driving, speeding, driving while intoxicated or fatigued and using their mobile phones while driving.”

Vision for Alternative Development (VALD) is a non-governmental organisation registered with the Registrar Generals Department of the Republic of Ghana. The main goal of VALD is to promote alternative initiatives and support development at all levels of the society by advocating for road safety in Ghana.

Amend is a non-governmental organization that works to reduce the incidence of road traffic injury via the development, implementation, and evaluation of evidence-based programs.The World Health Organization (WHO) has said that “the interventions promoted by Amend are perfectly in line” with those being promoted by the WHO.Amend is a member of the United Nations Road Safety Collaboration, the coordinating body for road safety issues across the United Nations system. http://www.amend.org

PUMA Energy Foundation
The PUMA Energy Foundation supports worthwhile initiatives to improve people’s livelihoods in the countries where Puma Energy operates. We partner with local NGOs that run development programmes that achieve lasting change in the areas of education & training, health & safety, and the environment.

http://www.pumaenergyfoundation.org
PUMA Energy
Formed in 1997, PUMA Energy is a global integrated midstream and downstream oil company active in over 45 countries. In Africa, PUMA Energy currently operates across 19 countries servicing more than 660 retail service stations and 29 airports, has over 2,500 employees and over 1.1 million m3 of terminal capacity on the African continent.

PUMA Energy’s core activities in the midstream sector include the supply, storage and transportation of petroleum products. PUMA Energy’s activities are underpinned by investment in infrastructure, which optimises supply chain systems, capturing value as both asset owner and marketer of product.

PUMA Energy’s downstream activities include the distribution, retail sales and wholesale of the full range of refined products, with additional product offerings in the lubricants, bitumen, LPG and marine bunkering sectors. PUMA Energy currently has a global network of over 2,300 retail service stations. Puma Energy also provides a robust platform for independent entrepreneurs to develop their businesses, by providing a viable alternative to traditional market supply sources.

http://www.pumaenergy.com/en
Global figures on road accidents:

• 1.24 million road deaths occur every year
• More than 50 million people are seriously injured every year
• There are 3,500 deaths a day or 150 every hour, and nearly three people get killed on the road every minute
• US$3 trillion is the cost of road crashes every year

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