With the spate of road traffic accidents in the country, especially during the Christmas holiday season, basic schools in the Greater Accra metropolis have joined forces to renew basic road safety principles for school children, to safeguard their precious lives.

This was made possible when Vivo Energy Ghana, in partnership with Applause Multimedia, brought together key stakeholders including the National Road Safety Commission (NRSC) and the Ghana Education Service (GES) at the third edition of its flagship road safety programme dubbed ‘My Road Safety, My Life: Junior Road Care 2018’

Junior Road Care is an interactive programme aimed at influencing the attitudes and behaviour of children to become more conscious on the road as pedestrians, cyclists and responsible future drivers. Over 15 basic schools participated to learn, share and compete in entertaining road safety related activities such as drama, poetry, art and quizzes.

In a speech, read on behalf of the Managing Director of Vivo Energy Ghana, Vivo Energy’s Corporate Communications Manager, Mrs Shirley Tony Kum, expressed displeasure at the disregard for road safety regulations by some motorists, referencing some of the recent deadly road accidents involving school children.

“News of avoidable deaths involving children and other young people are worrying, especially when the future of this country hinges on a healthy and empowered youthful population. Vivo Energy Ghana wants to use this platform to appeal to drivers to be cautious on the road to preserve lives, property and the environment, especially during the festive period.” she said.

The Greater Accra Regional Basic Schools Coordinator, Mrs. Susana Kennedy, advised the school children to implement all the lessons shared and road safety best practice in their daily lives to ensure their safety.

“This road safety programme is important for all of us. The children are our future and as motorists, we must exercise restraint in using the road, especially at places where school children frequent. I will encourage the children to try hard to apply all these lessons shared here in their daily lives,” she advised.

The Greater Accra Regional Manager of the National Road Safety Commission, Mrs. Catherine Hamilton, thanked Vivo Energy Ghana for its ongoing efforts to drive road safety education in the country. She further called on other corporate organisations to join the fight against road safety accidents in the country.

At the end of the competitions, Salvation Army ‘A’ basic school and Kings Royal Basic school emerged winners in the poetry and drama categories respectively. Lincoln Montessori school and Salvation Army ‘B’ were also judged winners in the art and quiz competitions.

Vivo Energy Ghana has implemented impactful road safety initiatives to create awareness, educate and sensitise the general public - particularly drivers and children - on the best road safety practices to reduce accidents on our roads.

These include the Fit2Drive wellness and road safety campaign, the donation of an alcohol meter to the Achimota Bus Terminal and commercial transport operators in the Ashanti region, the formation of road safety clubs in schools, among others.