Meet Our Dear Graduate, Mr. Eric Tetteh, Deputy Director, Policy & Planning, Ministry of Transport, Ghana

Mr. Eric Tetteh, Deputy Director, Policy & Planning, Ministry of Transport, Ghana, was so impressed with our programmes he not only came back to participate in a second programme, he also brought with him a member of the Ghana Parliament - the  Hon. Theophilus Tetteh Chaie to share his experience.

WHAT ARE THE MAIN CHALLENGES OF THE TRANSPORT SYSTEM IN GHANA

The rapid population growth, rapid urbanisation, recent experience of economic growth, but inadequate transport infrastructure and facilities has resulted in rapid increase in demand for transport services leading to increased motorisation in the urban areas of Ghana. These interrelated problems has given birth to key transport issues such as inadequacy of regulated public transport system, difficulty for pedestrians and vehicular movement due to traffic congestions, loss of space for walking and cycling due to “street hawking”, environmental impacts and energy consumption, pollution, including noise generated by circulation which has become a serious impediment to the quality of life and even the health of urban populations in Ghana. These problems have become issues because of the associated impact

it has on urban air pollution, traffic congestion, road accident, safety and security and the spill over effect on the economy, environment and the society at large.

CAN YOU TELL US A LITTLE ABOUT YOUR PREVIOUS POSITIONS AND HOW YOU BECAME A DEPUTY DIRECTOR (POLICY AND PLANNING) AT THE MINISTRY OF TRANSPORT?

I entered the Ministry of Transport as a national service person after graduation in my first degree. After my national service, I was employed as an Assistant Planning Officer at the Ministry of Transport due to the competency and skills I exhibited in contributing to solving transport challenges in the through effective policy formulation.
I was then promoted to the position of a Planning Officer to enable me contribute at management level in decision making. To enable me achieved this I pursued a master’s degree programme in Transport Planning at the University of Leeds in the United Kingdom. On my returned and based on the application of the knowledge acquired in contributing to solving the numerous transport sector challenges, I was promoted to the position of a Senior Planning Officer. I then attended some seminars on transport, including the Transport Programme at GIMI and they further equipped me to solve transport challenges in Ghana.

Based on an excellent performance in that position, I was promoted to Deputy Director (Policy and Planning) to be part of senior management and decision making. 

WHAT ARE YOUR MAIN DUTIES?

My work includes reviewing proposals and reports in order to advise the Hon. Minister; identifying policy gaps in the transport sector; coordination between the Ministry and the Cabinet; Budget issues and numerous other coordination activities and responsibilities.

Coordinate all transport sector public private partnership programmes and liaise with Ministry of Finance (PID) division for appropriate action
Identify strategic gaps in policy relating to the transport sector and propose corrective actions,
Coordinate and prepare various cabinet and parliamentary memorandum from the Minister to cabinet and parliament,
Responsible for the effective coordination and identifying private investors for the development of the Boankra Inland Port and Eastern rail line project,
Key personnel in policy development, including review and analysis of issues and trends, preparation and evaluation of research activities and other studies,
Key member of the budget preparation and implementation team of the Ministry, etc
Coordinator of the transport sector Permanent Joint Commission for Cooperation for Bilateral negotiations and liaise with the Ministry of Foreign Affairs for requisite action.
Coordinator of the transport sector Chief Director’s Performance Agreement with the Office of the Head of Civil Service. 

HOW WOULD YOU DESCRIBE ROAD SAFETY IN GHANA?

The Road safety situation in Ghana is one of the challenging issues confronting the transport sector of Ghana. It is estimated that road accidents alone cost Ghana 1.6% of her GDP annually. This translates to about 2,000 deaths on the average per year. Almost 60% of crash victims are within the productive bracket of 18-55 years. This situation impacts the economy negatively. According to statistics available at the National Road Safety Commission, the level of negative impact caused by road traffic crashes was higher than that of crimes and HIV/AIDS annually. Nearly 33% of these deaths are passenger and cargo vehicles related.
According to the National Road Safety Commission, the main causes of road accident in Ghana are;
Poor driving skills
Gross indiscipline on the road by road users
Drunk driving
Over speeding
Disregard of traffic regulations and inadequate road markings etc

WHAT HAT DID YOU TAKE FROM GIMI TO GHANA?

Definitely no one can visit and participate in any training programme in GIMI and leave there the same. You always leave there a better person and with enhanced skills. The transport and development programme dealt with traffic management, transport issues and policies among others. At GIMI, I was made to understand better that the survival and development of human-kind relied on mobility and its prosperity is now inextricably linked to new modes, systems and technologies for transport across lands, seas and skies. However, as well as huge benefits, transport has many negative impacts - road accidents, congestion, inequalities, pollution and climate change to name a few. One of the key challenges confronting the transport system in Ghana was road safety. The key challenge being the lack of capacity and the will to enforce the regulations. With the experience gained from GIMI, I have been able to bring stakeholders together and pushed the enforcement agenda. Today, there is a different story on our road traffic casualties. In this regard, we are discussing with GIMI to develop a tailored programme in curbing the challenges in the transport sector of Ghana

WHAT WOULD YOU SAY TO THE TRANSPORT PROFESSIONALS WHO ARE CONSIDERING TAKING PART IN GIMI’S TRANSPORT PLANNING AND MANAGEMENT PROGRAMME?

You will be taught by experts who will challenge you to explore, question and discover bringing up-to-date issues into their teaching. The strength of expertise combined with the breadth of issues dealt with provides a wealth of opportunities and has real impact on your career. GIMI offers an un-paralleled range of courses for those seeking to develop and improve their knowledge, skills and career in transport studies and so whatever stage you are in your career, GIMI can help you to move ahead.