Road transport operations, regulations digitised...With launch of TransportGhana

The Minister of Transport, Kwaku Ofori Asiamah, has launched "TransportGhana" to digitalise as well as automate the operations and regulations of road transport services in the country. 

The project, which is aimed at improving efficiency and effectiveness of the commercial road transport services in the country, is intended to also help minimise road traffic casualties by at least 50 per cent by the year 2030.

The project, launched in Accra, also saw the introduction of the NRSA operational uniforms and demonstration of “TransportGhana.”

It also aims to ease registration, licensing and permitting processes for road transport operators and allow road users to make informed choices on transport-related services from a portal or mobile app.

This project is initiated by the National Road Safety Authority (NRSA) and the Ministry of Transport in partnership with other Private sector companies including Transport for Ghana Limited, UCL Ghana Limited, Road Safety Management Services Limited and Nacasky Company Limited.

Background

“TransportGhana” is the name given to the transformation of commercial road transport services from manual to technology, Automation/Digitalisation of commercial road transport.

The project aligns with the country’s road safety management to government's policy to digitise all sectors of the national economy.

It has eight features including e-registration and licensing of transport operations; electronic ticketing and cashless systems; departure control; roadside assistance, also known as the  i-locator; e-driver training monitoring; e-passenger manifest; e-vehicle tracking; citizen reporting; and road safety watch.

Stronger Collaboration

The minister called for a stronger collaboration and partnerships to ensure the realisation of the full potential of the project and create a safer, more efficient, and sustainable transport system for all.

He urged the NRSA and its partners to ensure the systems are updated and can withstand the test of time, saying, “We must safeguard it against potential cybersecurity threats and ensure that the data and privacy of individual and operators are protected.”

The project, he said, would boost government's policy of digitalising the various sectors of the economy and meeting commitments to climate goals in an inclusive and sustainable manner.

Mr Asiamah urged transport operators to take the necessary measures to ensure that vehicles leaving the terminals were in good condition.

He appealed to media houses to sensitise the public to influence the needed road safety awareness and reduce the number of road crashes, injuries and deaths.

Mr Asiamah entreated passengers to be vigilant and speak-up against speeding, wrongful overtaking, and inconsiderate driving. 

“We must constantly remind ourselves of the dangers of speeding, the benefits of using a seatbelt and wearing appropriate helmets, the danger associated with driving on the shoulders of the road, and the risk of driving tired, drunk or on the phone,” he stressed.

Benefits

The Acting Director-General of NSRA, David Osofo Adonteng, said the automation and digitisation of transport service would ensure the safety, security and comfortability of passengers and minimise transport costs for passengers

He said the initiative would help control the road space in a manner that could manage traffic crashes and reduce the 2000 deaths every year.

He said it would boost passengers confidence, trust in the transportation business and improve the economy.

Passenger Transport

The Deputy General Secretary Operations of Ghana Private Road Transport Union (GPRTU), Richard Yaw Amankwah, said while some logistic company relied on digital technologies to support the smooth flow of information and logistics, passenger transport continued to rely on the manual routine process.

This, he said, opened the opportunity for corrupt actions, therefore the project would maximise their income and reduce human pilfering.

He said the transport operations depend on the number of trips the vehicle undertook hence he urged the regulator to ensure transport operators had access to all public operational terminals designed to accommodate all registered transport operators who met the standard operational requirement set out in the NRSA Act.