info@businessghana.com
Commercial drivers have been advised to seek regular medical check-ups at approved health centres to be informed of their health status for safe driving.
This was announced when Vivo Energy Ghana, the Shell licensee, together with its transporters, namely J. K. Horgle, S.O Frimpong and J. K. Ahiadome Transports, with support from the Doctors for Road Safety (DFRS), National Road Safety Commission (NRSC), Ghana Red Cross Society and the Motor Traffic and Transport Department (MTTD) launched a wellness and road safety education programme dubbed ‘Fit²Drive’ for commercial drivers in Accra.
The Fit²Drive Road Safety Campaign, among other activities will educate, sensitise and screen commercial drivers at selected bus terminals in Accra and Tema for basic occupational health conditions associated with their work to help reduce road traffic accidents.
Launching the programme, the Managing Director of Vivo Energy Ghana, Mr. Ebenezer Faulkner commented on the increase in road traffic accidents and advised drivers to be sensitive to their health conditions and seek appropriate medical attention for safe driving.
“Among the many reasons attributed to road traffic accidents by health professionals is the failing health of drivers. Chronic conditions like hypertension, diabetes and their complications such as strokes, heart attacks and increased fatigue are direct risk factors for road safety accidents as they lower the productivity of drivers. In order to avoid these, let us be sensitive to the health of our drivers and encourage them to seek regular and timely medical attention to avert any unforeseen health failures on the road,” he advised.
The Executive Director of the NRSC and the Special Guest of Honour, Ing. May Obiri-Yeboah charged the drivers to take regular rests to regain their energy before embarking on their next trip. She further urged them to comply with road safety regulations to avoid any crashes on the road.
“Some of our drivers do not rest at all due to the desire to meet their daily sales targets set by their car owners. Today, I want to encourage you to rest after long hours of driving and stop self-medication. If you fall sick, remember to visit any authorised health facility for thorough medical care. These are key to ensuring that both drivers and pedestrians are safe on the road,” she said.
The Honourable Member of Parliament for Ledzekuku Krowo Constituency and a medical doctor, Dr. Bernard Okoe Boye, pointed out chronic conditions like hypertension and diabetes as the primary cause of health failures among Ghanaians. He insisted that drivers should go for regular check-ups and health screening to avoid further complications.
Following the launch, a team of health professionals from Doctors for Road Safety screened and counseled commercial drivers at the Tema Station in Accra.
Ends
Notes to editors
Media contact:
Shirley Tony Kum
Communications Manager
Vivo Energy Ghana
+ 233 540 116 600
About Vivo Energy:
With a vision to become Africa’s most respected energy business Vivo Energy Ghana, the company that distributes and markets Shell-branded fuels and lubricants, was established in 2013. The Shell brand has been in Ghana since 1928.
Vivo Energy Ghana has a fuels storage capacity of 11,000m³ and 220 service stations, with many offering Shell Cards and convenience retail stores.
Vivo Energy Ghana employs 147 people. The company is recognised as a leader in the oil industry, championing and setting standards for safety.
Vivo Energy provides high quality solutions for motorists and businesses in Botswana, Burkina Faso, Cape Verde, Ghana, Guinea, Ivory Coast, Kenya, Mali, Mauritius, Madagascar, Morocco, Mozambique, Namibia, Senegal, Tunisia and Uganda. Its retail offering includes fuels, lubricants, card services, shops and other non-fuel services (e.g. oil change and car wash). For businesses it provides fuels, lubricants and liquefied petroleum gas (LPG) to business customers across a range of sectors including marine, mining, and manufacturing. Jet fuel is sold to customers at 23 airports though a partnership with Vitol Aviation.
The company employs around 2,360 people, operates over 1,800 retail service stations under the Shell brand and has access to approximately 900,000 cubic metres of fuel storage capacity. Shell and Vivo Lubricants has blending capacity of around 124,000 metric tonnes at plants in six countries (Ghana, Guinea, Ivory Coast, Kenya, Morocco, and Tunisia) producing Shell branded lubricants.
For more information about Vivo Energy please visit www.vivoenergy.com
