The Ghana Shippers' Authority has launched a campaign to educate the general public, drivers of cars, and operators of haulage trucks about the transportation of hazardous materials in conjunction with some of its stakeholders.The campaign intends to raise public knowledge of the dangerous cargo signs and to warn passersby, drivers of cars, and haulage truck operators.

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This is done to improve traffic safety and avert accidents that could have been avoided.The GSA, in partnership with the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), has developed material on the nine (9) classes of dangerous cargo and developed a nationwide sensitisation programme. These are Explosives, Gases, Flammable Liquids, Flammable Solids, Oxidising Substances, and Organic Peroxide.

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The rest are Toxic and Infectious waste, Radioactive materials, Corrosive substances, and Miscellaneous dangerous goods not covered by other classes, such as Lithium battery packs in equipment.

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Already, the GSA has engaged its Transit Shipper Committee – made up of the Joint Association of Port Transport Unions (JAPTU), Ghana Ports and Harbors Authority (GPHA), Ghana Link, State Insurance Commission (SIC), Ghana Highways Authority, Freight Forwarders among others – on its sensitization plans. Also, posters and placards of the signages will be made available for JAPTU to use in sensitizing its members, mostly haulage truck drivers.

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Promotional activation will be done on social media to target the public and motorists.Chairman of the Transit Shipper Committee and Head of the Freight and Logistics Department, Mr.

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Fred Asiedu Dartey, speaking at the fourth-quarter Transit Shipper Committee meeting said: “To ensure the issue of safety in transporting dangerous goods is taken seriously, the Authority is considering the possibility of having a trainer of trainers workshop for leadership of JAPTU in the first quarter of 2023 so that they can also train their members on the dos and don’ts of transporting dangerous cargo”.

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The representatives of JAPTU present at the meeting commended the GSA and expressed their readiness to avail themselves of future sensitization programmes.

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