By Ashiadey Dotse
The National Road Safety Authority (NRSA) has partnered with the Ghana Broadcasting Corporation (GBC) to intensify public education aimed at reducing road accidents in the country.
The partnership was agreed during a meeting between the Director-General of the NRSA, Abraham Amaliba, and the Director-General of GBC, Amin Alhassan, at GBC’s boardroom in Accra.
The collaboration seeks to use GBC’s nationwide media platforms to promote road safety messages and encourage behavioural change among road users.
Speaking at the meeting, Prof Alhassan said GBC is ready to support the initiative as part of its public service mandate.
He noted that road safety education should not only be intensified during festive periods such as Easter, but sustained throughout the year to achieve lasting behavioural change.
“Behavioural change is a process. It starts with information, but the most critical element is attitude change, and that takes time. So if we want to achieve results, the collaboration must be comprehensive,” he said.
Prof Alhassan added that GBC has the capacity to reach people across the country through its extensive network of radio and television stations.
According to him, the corporation broadcasts in about 27 Ghanaian languages through its network of 18 FM stations, making it possible to communicate road safety messages to people in the languages they understand.
“We have a system that allows us to communicate in about 27 Ghanaian languages daily. Through our network of radio stations across the regions, the messages can reach people directly in the language they speak,” he said.
He also proposed the formation of a joint technical and marketing team between the NRSA and GBC to mobilise sponsorship to support the campaign.
Prof Alhassan explained that although GBC undertakes public service broadcasting, such activities are usually done on a cost-recovery basis.
“We do not intend to make profit from public service programmes, but we also do not want to incur debt. So we can work together to look for sponsors who are willing to support road safety campaigns,” he said.
Mr Amaliba said the authority considers GBC a key stakeholder in the fight against road crashes in Ghana.
He disclosed that road accident statistics in the country remain worrying, stating that about eight people die daily from road crashes. He cited a recent accident that claimed the lives of about 15 students.
“Our statistics show that at least eight people die from road crashes every day in Ghana. In some cases, the number goes beyond that. There was even a crash where about fifteen schoolchildren lost their lives,” he said.
Mr Amaliba stressed that the country cannot continue to lose productive citizens through preventable road accidents.
“The people we are losing are able-bodied men and women who are the future of this country. The rate at which we are losing them has become a serious concern,” he noted.
He added that while enforcement of road traffic laws remains important, public education is equally critical in addressing the problem.
“Enforcement alone is not enough. We need behavioural change, and that behavioural change can only come through the media,” he said.
Mr Amaliba said the partnership with GBC will also support the authority’s road safety campaign ahead of the Easter festivities, a period that often records increased road crashes.
The Director of Television at GBC, Akushika Acquaye, also welcomed the partnership, noting that television plays an important role in public education.
“When people see graphic images and the realities of road crashes on television, it leaves a strong impression on their minds. So if we have road safety tips, we can run them during our programmes and news bulletins,” she said.
Akushika Acquaye added that GBC already runs educational programmes in several local languages, which will also help promote road safety awareness across the country.
The partnership is expected to enhance nationwide road safety education through coordinated media campaigns on GBC’s radio and television platforms.
