The Passenger Manifest is a common template to collect information/data on both drivers and passengers at bus terminals before the start of a journey. Mrs May Obiri-Yeboah, the Executive Director of NRSC, who announced this at this year’s National Public Transport Day in Accra, said the data on driver and passenger movements would help in the formulation of policies and the promotion of road safety in the sub-region.

She said it would also ensure easy identification of road crash victims on inter-city trips in commercial vehicles should a crash occur. “Further, we want you transport operators to keep to the operational guidelines as developed by the Commission. We also want to advocate that you pay up your insurance premiums promptly in order not to complicate issues regarding claims in the event of crashes,” she said.

 The day was organised by the NRSC in collaboration with the Ghana Insurance Association (GIA) under the theme: “Ensuring Safety on our Roads Before, During and After the 2016 Presidential and Parliamentary General Election, Christmas and New Year 2017 Festivities”. The idea was conceived in 2009 to observe the day to reflect on the quality of the public road transportation services and also create the opportunity for policy makers, politicians, and civil society actors to mirror the conditions of public road transport services and opportunity for improvement.

Formerly, the day was observed at lorry terminals throughout the country to educate and sensitise drivers, passengers and other road users on the need to keep the road safe, but this year’s the organisers observed the day with partners and transport operators, especially the Commercial Passengers Transport Operators.

Mr Lawrence Kumi, the Director of Transport Services, Ministry of Transport, in a speech read for the Minister, Mr Fifi Kwetey, said they were engaging their partners and transport operators, especially the commercial passenger transport operators, because they exercised control over the vehicles, drivers and systems that minimised or maximised the exposure to road traffic risks and casualties.

He said they owed their customers a duty to put in place systems that made drunk driving, speeding, pedestrian knock-downs and fatigue driving among other things impossible, especially before and after the elections, Christmas and New Year festivities.Ms Aretha Duku, the GIA President, said creating insurance awareness was an important  agenda for the Association and expressed the hope that the forum would aid in promoting the agenda.

She, therefore, pledged the insurer’s commitment to paying legitimate claims and paying on time.