Nana Kwaku Boateng Wins National VIA Finals

**Nana Kwaku Boateng **

NANA KWAKU Boateng Basic School in Koforidua has emerged winner of the 2026 VIA Safe Mobility for All Young People Programme national finals, beating seven other schools to clinch the top prize of €4,000.

The school secured an impressive average score of 83.63 points at the grand finale held in Kumasi on Wednesday, October 21, 2026, following a keen contest among student road safety ambassadors from eight schools.

KNUST Senior High School placed second with 77.75 points, while Sacred Heart Senior High School from Sunyani secured third position with 76.50 points.

Prempeh College finished fourth with 76 points, followed by Kumasi Academy with 72.75 points. Church of Christ Senior High School placed sixth with 68.50 points, while Sunyani Senior High School came seventh with 67.50 points. Amakom SDA Junior High School finished eighth.

The competition featured three-minute presentations by student ambassadors, who highlighted road safety challenges and proposed practical measures to reduce traffic-related risks, particularly among young people.

The victory represents a major achievement for the Koforidua-based school, which now hopes to progress through the subsequent stages of the international competition and ultimately represent Ghana at the final stage in Paris, France.

The programme is sponsored by the TotalEnergies Foundation and implemented in Ghana by the Oli Best Road Safety Organisation, with support from TotalEnergies Marketing Ghana Plc and other stakeholders.

**Safety First **

The Acting Area Manager of TotalEnergies, Kumasi, Luke Kojo Asamoah, has reiterated the company’s commitment to road safety, describing safety as a core value that guides its operations and community engagements.

Addressing participants at the grand finale, he said the company’s responsibility extended beyond its operational sites and service stations to the roads used daily by the public, particularly children.

He explained that the VIA programme was designed to empower young people to identify road hazards, educate their peers and promote safer road-use practices in their schools and communities.

According to him, the participating students had demonstrated that young people could become powerful advocates for road safety and contribute meaningfully to reducing road traffic risks.

He said the ambassadors had identified hazards in their communities and proposed practical solutions to address them.

Mr. Asamoah disclosed that the global VIA initiative was active in 45 countries and more than 2,000 schools, having educated and sensitised over one million young people on road safety.

He commended the participating schools, teachers and student ambassadors for their dedication, urging them to sustain their road safety campaigns beyond the competition.

He stressed that road safety required continuous commitment rather than one-day campaigns, adding that concerted efforts were necessary to create safer environments around schools and communities.

Global Stage

The Chief Executive Officer of the Oli Best Road Safety Organisation, Richard Karikari, described the national finals as a significant milestone in Ghana’s participation in the global VIA community.

He said the programme, which began in Ghana approximately 11 months before the finals, had helped develop the knowledge, creativity and civic responsibility of participating students.

Mr. Karikari explained that the initiative involved several practical activities, including discovery walks to identify road hazards along routes used by students.

The ambassadors subsequently developed risk maps, prepared action plans and conducted community engagement and sensitisation activities to address the identified safety concerns.

They were also required to propose high-impact projects to be undertaken with their prize money.

He commended the TotalEnergies Foundation for sponsoring the initiative and TotalEnergies Marketing Ghana Plc for supporting its implementation in the country.

He also acknowledged the contributions of the National Road Safety Authority (NRSA), Ghana Education Service (GES), Ghana Police Service, local assemblies, school heads and teachers.

Mr. Karikari said the participating schools had demonstrated commendable commitment, making the selection of an overall winner a difficult task.

He expressed optimism that Nana Kwaku Boateng Basic School would progress through the subsequent stages of the international competition and ultimately represent Ghana at the final stage in Paris, France.

The VIA Safe Mobility for All Young People Programme was established in 2019 by the TotalEnergies Foundation in partnership with the Michelin Corporate Foundation to educate young people under 18 on safe mobility.

The initiative seeks to reduce road traffic risks by empowering students to identify hazards, promote responsible road use and influence positive behavioural change among their peers, families and communities.

Organisers maintain that road safety requires more than traffic law enforcement, emphasising the importance of education, public awareness and collective responsibility in protecting lives.

FROM David Afum, Kumasi

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