International development organisation Transaid is leading a new two-and-a-half-year project supporting the nationwide rollout of a new HGV driver training standard in Ghana, after securing funding from the Puma Energy Foundation.

Transaid’s selection to lead the work follows more than three years’ experience working in Ghana, where it developed the training standard and built driver training capacity at the institutional level.

The new project kicks off on 1 August in the Ashanti region of Ghana, 300km north of the capital, Accra, which is set to be home to a new inland container depot opening later this year – bringing significantly increased volumes of HGV traffic onto local roads. 

Key to this new project will be supporting Ghana’s Driver and Vehicle Licensing Authority (DVLA) with examiner trainings, in turn helping to realise the authority’s ambition to have a uniformed approach to HGV driver assessment throughout the country. 

Transaid also plans to establish partnerships with HGV driver associations to increase access to training, aided by the development of a series of short courses based on the new standard.

It will also facilitate regional dialogue with the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS), and member states, focused on the regional harmonisation of HGV driver training standards, in line with the ECOWAS Regional Road Safety Action Plan. 

Sam Clark, Transaid head of programmes, said: “We are incredibly proud that the Ghanaian government has launched the new HGV standard which the team has been working towards for three years. Going forward, Transaid will support the rollout and advocate for harmonised standards in the ECOWAS region.” 

In addition to developing the standard, which was launched at an event in the capital, Accra, at the end of June, Transaid has also been involved in building the capacity to facilitate driver training at local institutions.

To-date,12 driver trainers from seven different institutions have completed theory and practical training which aligns with the new standard, with four advancing to the level of master trainer following the completion of additional training. 

In total, more than 2,000 HGV drivers have already received training in accordance with the new standard which is derived from 18 theory and five practical modules, each crafted specifically for the Ghanaian context.

These modules were developed by more than 30 stakeholders and with input from Transaid’s partners and experts in France, Tanzania, Uganda and the UK

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