THE Minister of Employment and Labour Relations, Ignatius Baffour Awuah has advocated the need for research on work-related diseases of road transport workers.
The move, he explained was needed to inform policy makers and other stakeholders for the development of preventive tools to regulate the sector.
Mr Awuah said this in a speech read on his behalf at the fifth biennial National Safety Conference organised by the Bureau of Public Safety (BPS) on Thursday in Accra.
The event was on the theme “Transportation safety and security: Strengthening institutions, research and training towards a sustainable development.”
It attracted safety experts from institutions including occupational health and safety practitioners, safety equipment manufacturers and suppliers, the Ghana Civil Aviation, Ambulance Service, Ghana Grid Company, Human Rights Activities, the Ghana Fire Service, the Ghana Police Service and the National Road Safety Commission.
The conference which coincided with the 10th anniversary of BPS sought to assist members take stock of past years’ events towards charting a new way forward.
According to the minister even though the transport sector was strategic for economic development of certain health concerns including stress, fatigue, musculoskeletal disorders, obesity, obstructive sleep, apnoea, diabetes, miscarriages, higher cardiovascular pressure, kidney disorders have become prevalent among the members.
This, Mr Awuah said has resulted in the high occupational health safety risks compared to other sectors.
“The transport economy was crucial to national development as it creates jobs along the value chain, but the situation where the sector loses on daily basis at least six persons to transportation incidents including unsafe driving practices, fleet age, lack of vehicle maintenance, workplace ergonomic issues, lack of convenient facilities and indiscipline on the roads can no longer be accepted,” he said.
This worrying development, he indicated, called for greater collaboration to find a lasting solution to deteriorating trend through indepth research into the root causes, building of capacity of all players in the industry, regular education and training.
The board chairman of the BPS, Dr Edward Narh in his opening remarks expressed optimism that the conference would delve into the “belly” of the country’s transportation safety and security adding that “it was my firm belief that something new would emerge out of this conference.
He stated that the spilt blood of many innocent lives lost on the highways called for concerted efforts to end the carnage.
The Executive Director, BPS, Nana Yaw Akwada, indicated the organisation has come a long way and expressed the confidence that the members would put more effort and continue to work tirelessly to keep the Bureau relevant to modern day society.
There were solidarity messages from the major stakeholders.
BY LAWRENCE VOMAFA-AKPALU
