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Background to 10th Anniversary Celebration
Conference Registration Form
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Conference Programme

INTERNATIONAL ROAD SAFETY CONFERENCE
ACCRA, GHANA  - 4TH AND 5TH NOVEMBER, 2009
INVITATION 

Dear Delegate,

Background Information

The National Road Safety Commission (NRSC) and Driver and Vehicle Licensing Authority (DVLA) of Ghana were both established in 1999 by Acts of Parliament, ACTS 567 and 569 respectively.  The two institutions constitute the statutory public agencies with responsibilities to ensure road safety in Ghana.

The NRSC is the lead agency and centrally positioned in the general management framework of road safety in Ghana to plan, develop and promote road safety in Ghana and coordinate policies related to road safety in the country.  The Mission of the Commission is to promote best road safety practices for all categories of road users in Ghana.  The Commission’s functions, among others, include:

  1. undertake nationwide road safety education
  2. encourage the development of road safety education as part of the curriculum and the training of teachers in road safety
  3. carry out special projects for the improvement of road safety
  4. co-ordinate, monitor and evaluate road safety activities, programmes and strategies
  5. recommend to the Minister and such bodies as it may determine measures calculated to prevent accidents involving the use of vehicles on roads
  6. act in liaison and co-operation with government agencies, the Driver and Vehicle Licensing Authority and other such bodies as it may determine to promote road safety
  7. conduct investigations into road safety issues and advise the Minister on them
  8. advise the Minister on the formulation of road safety policies and action programmes
  9. develop and maintain a comprehensive data base on road safety for the information of the public
  10. gather and publish reports and information relating to road safety
  11. collaborate with such foreign and international bodies as the Commission considers necessary for the purpose of this Act
  12. develop a long term road safety plan
  13. establish with the road authorities, procedures for safety audit of projects for road construction, reconstruction or improvement
  14. promote road safety research and
  15. set standards for road safety equipment in consultation with the Building and Road Research Institute (BRRI), the Ghana Standards Board and other bodies with relevant knowledge and expertise on road safety and ensure compliance with the standards.

The DVLA’s Mission is to provide the most efficient system of examining drivers and licensing vehicles to ensure road safety and secure records management using well motivated staff in a well equipped motoring environment.  The Authority’s functions are:

  1. establish standards and methods for the training and testing of driving instructors and riders of motor cycles
  2. establish standards and methods for the training and testing of vehicle examiners
  3. provide syllabi for driver training and the training of instructors
  4. issue driving licenses
  5. register and license driving schools
  6. license driving instructors
  7. inspect, test and register motor vehicles
  8. issue vehicle registration certificates
  9. issue vehicle examination certificates
  10. license and regulate private garages to undertake vehicle testing
  11. maintain registers containing particulars of licensed motor vehicles, driving instructors, driving schools and drivers of motor vehicles
  12. advise the Minister on policy formulation and development of strategy for the achievement of the object of the Authority
  13. ensure strict compliance with this Act and regulations made under it
  14. carry out such other functions as are incidental to the attainment of the object of the Authority.

Since their establishment, the two institutions, NRSC and DVLA, in collaboration with other stakeholder institutions in Ghana responsible for Engineering, Enforcement and Emergency response services, have worked tirelessly and collectively under a strategic and coordinated framework provided in the National Road Safety Strategies (NRSS 1, 2001 – 2005 and NRSS II, 2006 – 2010) and Action Plans. The two
Strategic Documents provide a broad national framework for road safetyinterventions whilst the Action Plans detail specific stakeholder activities, outputs and targets for implementation by each stakeholder in a coordinated manner.

Ghana has over the years maintained its accident database developed since 1991 and has vigorously pursued research, monitoring and evaluation and continuous human resource capacity development to influence the quality and quantity of road traffic crashes and intervention measures at policy, legal, institutional and regulatory levels.  The positive impact of the nation’s road safety efforts over the years is the consistent decline of its road traffic fatality rates from 31 in 2000 to 22 in 2007.  Ghana’s strategic objective is to attain a single digit fatality rate by the year 2015 and subsequently to attain its vision of having the safest road transportation system.

Celebration of 10th Anniversary
From the 26th October – 6th November, 2009, the National Road Safety Commission and Driver and Vehicle Licensing Authority, Ghana, have put in place series of activities to mark the occasion of ten (10) years of their existence and continuous operation under the theme, “Road Safety – A Shared and Collective Responsibility”

International Conference
As part of the activities marking the occasion, a 2-day International Road Safety Conference has been scheduled  for 4th – 5th November, 2009 in Accra, Ghana. The objectives of the conference are:

  1. To create a forum for Ghana to share its experience and achievements in road safety particularly relating to Strategic Road Safety Management Practices.
  2. To bring together the counterparts of National Road Safety Commission (NRSC) and Driver and Vehicle Licensing Authority (DVLA) in Africa and across the world to foster partnership, share and exchange tools and best operational practices.
  3. To create an opportunity for exposure to a new global thinking into making roads safer and the need to institutionalize road safety as a shared and collective responsibility in the Political, Economic and Social Policy development agenda of Governments.

The 2 – day event will feature speakers of international repute made up of distinguished local and international experts and road safety practitioners who will present papers on topics related to Africa and Global Road Safety Innovative and creative approaches and Challenges in enhancing Road Safety Publicity, Information, Education and Campaign, Road infrastructure, Standards for Vehicle Testing and Driver Certification, Traffic Regulations and Enforcement, Traffic Injury Management and Emergency Response Services, Research and Knowledge Transfer, Human Resource Development and Financing.
It is the expectation of the NRSC and DVLA that the conference will expose participants to practical road safety challenges in Africa and the world, enrich their knowledge and confidence and, above all, strengthen their capacities to project road safety as a shared and collective responsibility in the national development framework of their respective countries.

The National Road Safety Commission and Driver and Vehicle Licensing Authority, Ghana, now invite you to participate in the conference. Procedure for registration and information on programme of activities and hotels are presented below: