Dec
Road traffic crashes are acknowledged as a major challenge that the country is faced with as accidents continue to claim lives. The escalating incidences of road traffic crashes presents a huge challenge to us, physically and emotionally. As road traffic crashes continues to escalate, they have a negative financial implication on the economy of our country.
It is common cause that during pilgrimages and other church activities a large number of members of church congregants travel, and incidence of road crashes that result in loss of life and injuries cannot be ignored.
The church as an institution plays a crucial role in the Fund ‘s endeavour to reduce road traffic crashes. The bigger question, is the church doing enough to curb these road crashes or imparting knowledge on their congregants on issues relating to road safety?
In its efforts to involve every stakeholder in the road safety promotion sphere, the Fund together with its key road safety partners (Botswana Police Services, Department of Road Transport and Safety) held a road safety engagement seminar with BOCAIP which represents different church denominations being the Evangelical Fellowship of Botswana
(EFB), Organisation of African Instituted Churches (OAIC), Botswana Council of Churches (BCC), Seventh Day Adventist (SDA) and Zion Christian Church (ZCC).The aim of the seminar was to sensitize church leaders about the road traffic crashes and associated deaths and injuries, and to encourage the church to play an active role in curbing road traffic accidents.
“In his address to the church leaders MVA Fund Chief Executive Officer, Mr Michael Tlhagwane, pleaded with church leaders to be road safety ambassadors and to actively make meaningful contribution by empowering their church members on road safety issues.”
– Mr Michael Tlhagwane
The churches were encouraged to address foster Behavioural changes through preaching on road safety during sermons, to invite road safety experts to present on road safety topics at organised church events. The CEO also assured the churches of the Fund’s commitment and support in to capacitate the churches to improve the road safety situation in Botswana.