Guinness Ghana, partners urge drivers to drive safe

Guinness Ghana Breweries Plc (GGBPlc), the Multimedia Group and partners promoting road safety in Ghana have urged drivers to drive safe and observe road traffic regulations during the Easter holidays.

At a ceremony to draw the curtain on the 6th edition of the Twa Kwano Mmom – a Don’t Drink and Drive’ campaign, the partners called on drivers to prioritise safely transporting every passenger to their destinations this Easter.

Speaking at the ceremony, Acting Corporate Relations Director at GGBPlc, Aseye Nutsukpui, said recent events on our roads have highlighted the need for greater collaboration among stakeholders to tackle road traffic accidents.

“At Guinness Ghana, we are committed to playing our part and over the years, we have partnered stakeholders to tackle misuse of alcohol, especially among commercial drivers because at the core of our Alcohol in Society (AIS) agenda is the commitment to reduce the incidence of injuries and deaths resulting from drink driving through partnerships which impact misuse of alcohol”, she said.

She noted that findings from the 6th edition of the campaign, have shown a reduction in the number of cases of drivers driving under influence, adding that “out of a total of 33, 683 commercial and non-commercial drivers tested across 5 regions, 180 drivers were found to have been above the permitted alcohol limit.

“Compared to the year before, where we recorded 202 drivers who were over the allowable limit, we see a drop in the number of cases of drivers driving under the influence of alcohol. With the needed education and enforcement, I believe stakeholders can contribute to the global goal of halving injuries and deaths resulting from drink driving” she added.

Mr. Victor Bilson, Assistant Planning Officer at the National Road Safety Commission (NRSC), lauded the campaign which is ensuring that drivers don’t drink while working, adding “ the NRSC is grateful for the support from Guinness Ghana towards road safety and calls on all and sundry to help in the efforts to make our roads safe and free from avoidable accidents”.

Superintendent Dr Samuel Sasu-Mensah, of the Ghana Police Service’ Motor Traffic and Transport Department (MTTD), noted that 94 per cent of road traffic accidents and crashes are caused by human error. 

“During the festive periods such as the Easter, road accidents and crashes are rampant and the MTTD will be creating a lot of awareness, sensitization and enforcement across the various trouble and black spots across the country to curb the incidence of road traffic deaths and injuries”, he added.

Twa Kwano Mmom is a behavioural change campaign, which has been undertaken by Guinness Ghana over the last six years with the support of the National Road Safety Commission, the Police MTTD and Street Sense Organisation and the Multimedia Group.

Last year Guinness Ghana signed a memorandum of understanding with the Multimedia Group, to increase public awareness of road safety, the dangers of drink driving and other factors which contribute to road traffic accidents in Ghana.