1,200 Commercial drivers in pilot campaign
Guinness Ghana Breweries Ltd (GGBL) has rewarded 1,200 commercial drivers who successfully participated in its “Twa Kwan no Mmom” (“Don’t Drink and Drive”) campaign launched in December 2013.
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The educational and behavioural change campaign sought to educate commercial drivers on the effects of alcohol abuse and empower them to behave responsibly by not engaging in drink-driving.
Reward ceremony
At a ceremony to reward deserving drivers at the Kaneshie transport terminal, the Corporate Relations Director of GGBL, Ms Preba Greenstreet, said when the company launched the campaign, it was optimistic that it would resonate with commercial drivers and contribute immensely to tackling and preventing drink-driving among drivers.
“The results we have seen from this eight-week campaign has been inspiring and proves that with the right partnership and the right approach, we can tackle and prevent drink-driving,” she said.
Ms Greenstreet said out of the over 6,000 breathalyser tests conducted over the period, 20, representing 0.3 per cent of them, recorded alcohol levels over the statutory permissible blood alcohol consumption levels for driving in the first week of the campaign.
“From the second to the eighth week, however, we recorded 100 per cent compliance – meaning not a single participating driver tested positive for alcohol above the permissible blood alcohol consumption at the time of testing,” she said.
This, she said, was a clear demonstration of the campaign’s success in tackling and preventing drink-driving, as well as the commitment of these drivers to do the right thing and make the responsible and right choice to not engage in drink-driving.
“That is why we are celebrating and rewarding some of these drivers today. It is our hope that the drivers will continue to fight against drink-driving and be good ambassadors to their colleagues,” Ms Greenstreet said.
1,200 rewarded
Overall, a total of 1,200 drivers were rewarded with branded paraphernalia throughout the campaign, with 200 drivers receiving free fuel coupons worth GH¢50 each.
The Greater Accra Regional Head of National Road Safety Commission (NRSC), Mr Daniel Wuaku, commended GGBL for the campaign.
He said “over the years, the NRSC has had the privilege of partnering GGBL to educate drivers across the country against drink-driving”.
The new campaign, he said, went beyond just providing education to effect changes in the behaviour of commercial drivers because the National Road Safetgy Commissioon (NRSC) endorsed it and complemented its work.
He encouraged drivers to not drive when tired, use their mobile phones while driving and to observe road signs.
The Commander of the Centre Motor Traffic and Transport Department of the Ghana Police Service, C/Supt A. Fosu-Ackaah, who also commended GGBL, encouraged drivers to abide by the Traffic Act and to co-operate with the police at all times.