Mr Kwaku Ofori Asiamah, the Minister of Transport, has reiterated the need to prioritise initiatives in the transport sector to minimise environmental hazards, as the world grapples with the climate crisis.
He said that the revised National Transport Policy (NTP) and the National Electronic Vehicle Policy (NEVP) emphasised promoting sustainability and environmental stewardship.
“As we face the challenges of climate change and air pollution, we must prioritise modes of transport that minimises environmental impacts and promote a cleaner and greener future,” he explained.
Mr Asiamah said this in Wa in a speech read on his behalf by Mr Merlyn Gaskian, the Acting Director of Administration at the Ministry of Transport, during a dissemination workshop on the revised NTP and the NEVP.
The meeting was to create visibility of the policies and seek the stakeholders’ support to facilitate their implementation.
Mr Asiamah explained that the current energy landscape was unsustainable and posed a significant challenge to the environment, economy and future generations, due to its contribution to climate change in the country and other parts of the world.
He said that necessitated the development of the NEVP in line with the National Energy Transition Plan to guide the uptake of electric vehicles in the country aimed at reducing the dependency on fuel whose production contributed significantly to climate change.
Talking about the NTP, Mr Asiamah stated that, “The revised policy builds on the foundations laid by its predecessor, considering changing societal needs, technological advancements, and environmental considerations”.
The process to review the National Transport Policy that was developed in 2008 started in 2017, was finalised and had cabinet approval in 2020.
The review was aimed at among other things, assessing the policy in terms of the existing status of the transport sector in line with international best practices, and the progress made and to make recommendations to improve its implementation.
Mr Stephen Yakubu, the Upper West Regional Minister, said the successful implementation of those policies would help create an efficient and sustainable transport system by promoting the public transport system and improving the private sector transport system.
Again, it would also improve road safety, reduce environmental impact, and encourage private investment in the transport sector.
Mr Yakubu reiterated the government’s commitment to enhancing the country’s economic growth through an improved and robust transport system.
“The successful implementation of these policies requires cooperation among government agencies, private sector stakeholders, society organisations, economic institutions and local communities,” he stated.
Mr Godwin Gadikor Kwame, the Head of Policy Planning, Monitoring and Evaluation at the Ministry of Railway Development, said the NTP review process considered several factors, policies and programmes including the President’s Economic and Social Development Programme for 2017-2024.
He added that a broader consultation with key stakeholders including ministries, the National House of Chiefs, professional bodies, civil society organisations and persons with disabilities among others were involved, to ensure the revised policy was inclusive.
GNA