Accra, Nov. 19, GNA - Intercity STC, a road transport organization, was on Friday adjudged the National Best Transport organization at an award ceremony organized by the National Road Safety Commission. Metro Mass Transit Limited was named the second best while the Ghana Private Road Transport Union (GPRTU) placed third. Intercity STC competed with 62 transport organizations nationwide and scored the highest marks in terms of general administration, welfare of members, operational guidelines, training of drivers in road safety, hazard management and collaboration with unions and other transport organizations, driver and vehicle management, customer or passenger satisfaction and evidence of a trip log.

For its prize, the organization received a 42-inch Panasonic television set, a Sony DVD player, a tyre compressor and accessories, road safety booklets and log books as well as a plaque and a certificate. Mr Mike Hammah, the Minister of Transport who presented the awards, said the awards ceremony was primarily aimed at motivating organizations with the best road safety profile in the seemingly unregulated environment. The Ministry of Transport, he said, would soon come out with a proposal for the establishment of a National Road Safety Authority to regulate the road transport industry and avoid the current situation which allowed any individual to enter into the transport industry to operate. The Minister, who is the initiator of the award ceremony, explained that the choice of institutions as receivers of the award other than individual drivers was informed by the fact that road safety challenge was beyond the driver.

"It takes strong institutions to get drivers to act as professionals and in a manner desirable for the public good," Mr Hammah added. He said the New Road Traffic Regulations, which is currently receiving attention from the Cabinet, had enough provisions intended to sanitize and regulate the road transport industry to ensure not only the convenience but safety of users of road transport services. The new road traffic regulations propose among other things that to operate a commercial vehicle one should apply for a commercial road transport operating permit.

Mr Hammah said 6,145 crashes were reported between January and September this year leading to 676 deaths and 4,392 injuries. Prior to the national ceremony, regional transport organizations were also given awards.

GPRTU placed first in the Volta Region, Metro Mass Transit placed first in the Eastern, Central and Brong Ahafo Regions while Intercity STC placed first in the Upper West, Northern and Greater Accra Regions. Mr Kwadwo Ofosu Tweneboah, Managing Director at the National Investment Bank, who chaired the ceremony, said road safety issues touched on human lives and were therefore important issues in national development. He expressed the hope that the National Road Transport Awards would become an annual event.