The InterCity State Transport Corporation (STC) has been adjudged the Best Public Transport in Greater Accra by the Greater Accra Regional office of the National Road Safety Commission (NRSC) for its sterling performance in terms of road safety for 2015.

The award ceremony, which was organised in partnership with Vivo Energy, licensee for Shell lubricants, also saw the Metro Mass Transit and the Great Imperial Transport Services Limited take the 2nd and 3rd positions respectively.

Speaking during the award ceremony in Accra on Thursday, Madam Katrina Hamilton, Greater Accra Regional Director, NRSC, said the three transport companies were selected out of the about 10 transport services which took part in the programme of assessment.

The award winners were provided with citations, plagues, reflector vests among others.

Madam Hamilton cited general administration, welfare of members, driver and vehicle management, evidence of trip log, customer and passenger satisfaction, hazard management, collaboration with other transport unions, and operational guidelines for staff as some of the criteria used in determining the three winners.

She said the awards scheme which was launched in 2010 served as a prelude to the National Road Safety Awards slated for November 13, 2015. It aimed at motivating the various public transport operators to make good use of best practices.

Madam Hamilton intimated that in Greater Accra alone, over 4,000 people were involved in road traffic accidents annually due to speeding and the inability of pedestrians to cross the road safely.

She called for continual education for drivers and all motorists as a means of helping to curb road traffic accidents as vehicles keep increasing in the Greater Accra Region.

Mr Kwame Kodua Atuahene, Head of Communications, NRSC, said one of the main aims of the Commission coming out with the award scheme was to enable it press transport owners to give quality services to transport users.

He noted that due to the inception of the award scheme five years ago, many of the transport service offices and terminals had been staffed with road safety officers to help them implement road safety measures.

He said as part of the celebration of the National Road Safety Awards, the NRSC in all the other nine regions would organise regional ceremonies for their public transport organizations from which the national winners would be chosen.

Mr Atuahene said the NRSC would also award haulage service providers, Vivo Energy Ghana, as well as journalists who have helped in the propagation of road safety messages on November 13, at La Palm Royal Beach Hotel in Accra.

He appealed to drivers to observe road traffic regulations and eschew drinking before driving as well as speeding.

Mrs Shirley Tony Kum, Head of Communications, Vivo Energy Ghana, expressed the readiness of Vivo Energy to partner NRSC in its efforts to help boost road safety in the country.

She said as part of Vivo Energy’s commitment towards road safety, it had organised a lot of programmes including education seminars for pupils, both indoor and outdoor lessons for selected schools in the Greater Accra Region, provided lollipop stands in schools, held educational seminars for 100 drivers in the region, as well as donated reflector vests to the NRSC among others.

As part of the programme, a 10 member Regional Road Safety Management Committee made up of officials from the Information Services Department, the Ghana Red Cross, the MTTD, the Driver and Vehicle Licensing Authority, the NRSC, and the National Commission for Civic Education, as well as the Ghana Police service was inaugurated to spearhead road safety activities in the region.