Friday 7 December 2018: AfricaRAP’s Lead Rachael Nganwa has been in Addis Ababa (Ethiopia) and Accra (Ghana) this week engaging with local road agencies and discussing how the iRAP assessments can form part of their road network condition surveys.

The objective is to include iRAP assessments as part of the asset management data collection process. Survey images obtained would then be shared with the relevant agency, to then implement the Star Rating methodology, coding, analysis and reporting.

Both Addis Ababa and Accra are part of the ten cities included in the BIGRS project which aims to reduce road traffic fatalities and injuries in low-and middle-income cities and countries.

Based on the Vaccines for Roads Big Data Tool – Business Case for Safer Roads, Ghana’s annual number of fatalities and serious injuries is 74,679. With the implementation of > 75% of travel on 3 star or better roads for all by 2030 (as per the UN Voluntary Targets), it is predicted that there would a reduction of 2,715 fatalities per year alone.

Ethiopia’s annual number of fatalities and serious injuries is 267,207 and by implementing the same target by 2030, it is predicted that there would a reduction of 10,524 per year. (Source: Vaccines for Roads Big Data Tool – Business Case for Safer Roads)

As part of the projects, and to build capacity and share knowledge, more than 50 people from the cities of Addis Ababa and Accra (public and private sectors) have undertaken iRAP training with a specific emphasis in the areas of survey and coding.

iRAP will continue to collaborate with local authorities to assist with improving all road networks to 3-star or better and save lives on roads.