The Ghana Tourism Authority Ex-Staff Association (GHATEX) has launched a $400,000, five-year road safety and tourism project.

It is aimed at promoting safer road travel and strengthening confidence in Ghana as a preferred destination for both domestic and international tourists.

The initiative also seeks to reduce road crashes through sustained-public education and behavioural change campaigns, while encouraging responsible road use and safer driving practices across the country.

Launching the project in Accra on Tuesday, the Minister of Tourism, Culture and Creative Arts, Mrs Abla Dzifa Gomashie, described road safety as a critical national development issue that directly impacts tourism, trade, investment and the well-being of citizens.

In a speech read on her behalf by the Director of Tourism at the ministry, Mr Geoffrey Tamakloe, the minister commended retired staff of the Ghana Tourism Authority for initiating the project.

He said retirement did not mark the end of national service but offered an opportunity to continue contributing knowledge, experience and leadership to national development.

Mrs Gomashie assured stakeholders of the ministry’s continued collaboration with the National Road Safety Authority (NRSA), the Ghana Tourism Authority (GTA), transport operators, local authorities and development partners to deepen safety awareness, promote responsible driving and improve access to tourism destinations.

The Chief Executive Officer of the Ghana Tourism Authority, Mrs Maame Efua Houadjeto, described the initiative as timely.

Road safety, she emphaiased, remained fundamental to the growth and sustainability of Ghana’s tourism industry.

She said when visitors felt safe on the country’s roads, they were more likely to travel with confidence, stay longer, explore more destinations, recommend Ghana to others and return in the future, adding that safety remained one of the country’s strongest tourism assets.

Mrs Houadjeto stressed that road safety was a shared national responsibility and called for stronger collaboration among government institutions and other stakeholders to reduce road crashes and improve Ghana’s image as a safe tourism destination.

She assured GHATEX of the GTA’s full support for the initiative, noting that protecting lives also safeguarded livelihoods, strengthened the tourism industry and enhanced the country’s reputation as a safe and welcoming destination.

The Director-General of the National Road Safety Authority, Mr Abraham Amaliba, described road crashes as one of Ghana’s most pressing public health and development challenges.

He observed that they claimed more lives than air crashes but often did not receive the same level of attention and investment.

He explained that reducing road traffic fatalities required sustained commitment to education, law enforcement, engineering improvements and effective emergency response, stressing that these measures must be implemented together to achieve lasting results.

Mr Amaliba urged motorists, pedestrians, institutions and communities to treat road safety as a collective responsibility, emphasising that disciplined road use and coordinated action were essential to saving lives.

The project, being implemented by GHATEX in collaboration with the Ghana Tourism Authority, the National Road Safety Authority and the Ministry of Tourism, Culture and Creative Arts, will deploy animated videos, drama sketches and educational messages in English and selected Ghanaian languages to promote safer road use.

BY STEPHANIE BIRIKORANG AND RASHEEDA AFOAKWAH