The Vice President of the Chartered Institute of Logistics & Transport (CILT-Ghana) in charge of Logistics, Mr. Patrick Andoh has indicated that there is the need for fleet drivers to develop and refined their professional skills and respect road protocols in order to reduce the numerous road crashes in the country.
According to him, fleet drivers play useful role in the society but the destructive label of “Common Driver,” which makes them disregard their own professional value and making them non-productive.
Patrick Andoh was speaking at the launch of a book he authored “The Professional Driver,” which was considered by many industry players as a tool which drivers can use in ensuring safety on the roads which is the ultimate priority in fleet management.
He noted that drivers usually do not see themselves as professionals, hence ignore the values that the industry places on them and until that is done, the driver will continue to be held in that bondage of ignorance.
He said: “Professional drivers are made, they are not born. You see, this book places value on the driver, driver education and development matters a lot in reducing road traffic crashes.”
The Director General of the National Roads Safety Authority (NRSA), Ing. May Obiri-Yeboah in her address during the launch averred that most road crashes in the country are avoidable.
She bemoaned the alarming and increasing rate of road traffic crashes and pointed out that road safety is not a preserve for the central government alone, but a collective responsibility of all stakeholders and managers of fleet drivers.
She also maintained that it was essential for drivers to grow their knowledge to be able to safeguard their lives and that of their passengers.
On his part, President of the Chartered Institute of Logistics & Transport (CILT-Ghana), Ebo Hammond said professionalism is not a preserve for only doctors, lawyers, nurses, teachers and auditors alone but, for everyone who offers services to other people.
He said, the conduct of drivers is appalling and that there is now the demand for professional drivers and fleet managers to increase their knowledge by constantly developing their professional skills.
He said, drivers are important in the socio-economic development of the nation because they create the first impression to every visitor entering the country, hence unprofessionalism on their part will adversely affect the country’s image and destroy their own companies’ growth.
“Companies must invest more in training their drivers. The success of the driver will not only depend on the skills he acquired, but on the qualities he develops over time. There are soft skills that drivers need in their professional journey, Respect, forgiveness, emotional intelligence, tolerance among other. But we have realized that most drivers lack these soft skills and this is worrying,” he said.
Ebo Hammond also noted that the time has come for drivers to see themselves as professionals and begin to think and act in that manner, adding that “drivers must begin to own their carrier, love it, nurture it and build it.”
Commenting on the book “The Professional Driver,” Ebo Hammond averred that the book offers practical knowledge for the drivers to give off their best in their career.
Reviewing the book, Rev. G.D. Mensah, Fellow of CILT, said the book is rich and offers practical directions in the transformational path of the driver.
He said there are many people who became drivers by default and the book gives the guiding principles for such people to become professionals in their own field and build a more vibrant logistics, transport and fleet industry.
He also charged drivers to seek the safety and security of their clients/passengers at all times.
Chief Teete Owusu-Nortey, Fellow of CILT and Special Advisor to CILT International Board of Trustee, who launched the book said being a driver in this changing world goes beyond just the acquisition of driver’s license.
He said it requires practice, team work, and knowledge acquisition.
Chief Teete Owusu-Nortey also said drivers must sharpen their skills at all times so as to become professionals with adequate knowledge.
By: Prosper Agbenyega