International development organisation Transaid has secured funding from the Puma Energy Foundation to lead an entirely new two and a half-year project supporting the nationwide rollout of a new Heavy Goods Vehicle (HGV) driver training standard in Ghana. Transaid’s selection to lead the work follows more than three years’ experience working in Ghana, where it developed the training standard and built driver training capacity at the institutional level.
The new project kicks off on 1 August in the Ashanti Region of Ghana, 300km north of the capital, Accra, which is set to be home to a new inland container depot opening later this year – bringing significantly increased volumes of HGV traffic onto local roads.
Key to this new project will be supporting Ghana’s Driver and Vehicle Licensing Authority (DVLA) with examiner trainings, in turn helping to realise the authority’s ambition to have a uniformed approach to HGV driver assessment throughout the country.
Transaid also plans to establish partnerships with HGV driver associations to increase access to training, aided by the development of a series of short courses based on the new standard. It will also facilitate regional dialogue with the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS), and member states, focused on the regional harmonisation of HGV driver training standards, in line with the ECOWAS Regional Road Safety Action Plan.
Sam Clark, Head of Programmes for Transaid, says: “We are incredibly proud that the Ghanaian government has launched the new HGV standard which the team has been working towards for three years. Going forward, Transaid will support the rollout and advocate for harmonised standards in the ECOWAS region.”
In addition to developing the standard, which was launched at an event in the capital, Accra, at the end of June, Transaid has also been involved in building the capacity to facilitate driver training at local institutions. To-date, 12 driver trainers from seven different institutions have completed theory and practical training which aligns with the new standard, with four advancing to the level of master trainer following the completion of additional training.
In total, more than 2,000 HGV drivers have already received training in accordance with the new standard which is derived from 18 theory and five practical modules, each crafted specifically for the Ghanaian context. These modules were developed by more than 30 stakeholders and with input from Transaid’s partners and experts in France, Tanzania, Uganda and the UK.
For more information and to find out how you can support the organisation visit www.transaid.org.
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Note to Editor:
About Transaid
Transaid transforms lives through safe, available, and sustainable transport. Founded by Save the Children, The Chartered Institute of Logistics and Transport (CILT), and its Patron, HRH The Princess Royal, the international development organisation works with communities, partners, and governments to solve transport challenges throughout sub-Saharan Africa.
Transaid works in two core areas, road safety and access to health, to solve two of the biggest transport challenges in sub-Saharan Africa. Transaid’s road safety work focuses on influencing safe driver behaviour with long term programmes in Ghana, Tanzania, Uganda and Zambia, responding to local needs for improved training for drivers and riders of trucks, buses, motorcycles and forklift trucks. On the access to health side, Transaid is working with local partners and communities to strengthen access to health services, primarily in rural areas. They are also working to strengthen health supply chains in collaboration with local partners and governments.
Transaid enjoys strong backing from the transport and logistics industry and the active involvement of its patron, HRH The Princess Royal.
For further press information:
Maddy Matheson at Transaid: +44 (0)20 7387 8136 / maddy@transaid.org
Natalie Ganshert or James Keeler at Garnett Keeler PR: +44 (0)20 8647 4467, or by email to natalie.ganshert@garnettkeeler.com / james.keeler@garnettkeeler.com
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