West African Road Safety Conference Opens In Accra 

West African Road Safety Organization (WARSO) has commenced its 9th annual general meeting at Accra International Conference Centre.

The four (4) day conference hosted by the national road safety authority (NRSA), starting today September 16th to 19th, which seeks to promote road safety in West Africa is on the theme: "Evaluating Road safety performance in west Africa under the decade of action for road safety 2011 - 2020".

Addressing the press at the opening ceremony of the event, Director General of NRSA, Ing. Mrs. May Obiri-Yeboah noted that, the frequent occurrence of road traffic crashes in developing countries is increasing and the number of those with fatalities and serious injuries is a considerable problem.

According to her, provisional statistics from January to August indicate that greater Accra which comprises Accra and Tema has the unpleasant tag as the most accident-prone region.

She further noted that this event would help them to evaluate what they have done so far as sub-region to check if it is in accordance with the whole world says about the decade.

"it is our hope to look at what we have done as members countries, each of us evaluate ourselves as a sub-region and see whether we are in tune with what the whole is saying about the decade; if we are lacking then what do we do as a sub-region to ensure that in the next decade probably we will do well", she said.

SYNOPSIS ON WEST AFRICAN ROAD ORGANIZATION
Existence Of WARSO
The west African road safety organization (WARSO) was established on May 8, 2008, under the auspices of the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) by the then president of ECOWAS. Dr. Mohammed Ibn Chambas, to promote road safety in west Africa.

WARSO Day Observation And Countries Make Up WARSO
WARSO day, which is observed on May 8, each year is a landmark approach towards the promotion of road safety in the sub-region. Fifteen (15) West African countries make up WARSO.

Activities And Aim Of The Event
West African countries commemorate the day with road safety activities, including media engagement, road safety education, and outreach school visitation among others.

The event dubbed WARSO Day primarily aims to highlight and protect their road safety awareness programs and reflect on some peculiar success stories challenges confronting the sub-region in road safety man. It is needless to add that road traffic crashes are gradually deepening poverty, shuttering families (lose of human resource), and destruction to properties, pain, etc.

About The Event
The theme for this year's event, "evaluating road safety performance in west Africa under the decade of action for road safety: 2011-2020 ". As the theme states, it is high time we highlight the remarkable condition we have all made towards the reduction of road traffic crashes on our roads and critically reviews its strength and weaknesses in the phase of growing road challenges in the sub-region.

Benefits Ghana Gains From This Event
Indeed, Ghana and her neighbouring countries enjoy cordial relations that date back to colonial rule. West African countries have thus related well in bilateral and multilateral relations for the benefit of the reb-region. The formation of WARSO is another expression to bring countries for the west Africa rub-region even closer to collaborate, amalgamation ideas to sustain integration for socio-economic development.