ACCRA’S TRAFFIC TO BLAME FOR PUBLIC TRANSPORT CRISIS – GPRTU
Union denies creating artificial shortages, cites peak-hour congestion as major cause of delays
The Ghana Private Road Transport Union (GPRTU) has attributed the ongoing public transport challenges in Accra to severe traffic congestion, particularly during peak morning and evening hours, which it says is preventing drivers from returning to terminals promptly to pick up more passengers.
Speaking to the Ghana News Agency on January 16, GPRTU National Chairman Nana Nimako Asiamah refuted claims that the Union or its members had deliberately created vehicle shortages to justify charging unapproved fares.
“As far as the GPRTU is concerned, we are not creating any artificial scarcity. The problem is that the traffic in Accra is affecting the transport business,” he said. “The situation is worse in the mornings and evenings because drivers are not able to return to the stations on time to pick up more passengers.”
His comments follow recent government concerns over alleged misconduct by some private commercial drivers. Minister of Government Communications Felix Kwakye Ofosu had accused certain drivers of intentionally bypassing transport terminals to search for passengers willing to pay above the approved fares, despite recent fuel price reductions and a 15% cut in regulated transport fares.
According to Mr Ofosu, these actions have contributed to the worsening public transport situation, especially in Accra. He warned that the government would not hesitate to take action against drivers found to be violating fare rules and operating outside of established guidelines.
In response, Mr Asiamah acknowledged reports of such behaviour and said the GPRTU is investigating. “We have been notified of such acts, and we will sanction any member found culpable,” he said.
However, he pointed out that enforcement is complicated by the fact that some offending drivers belong to other transport groups or operate vehicles without proper identification. He called for collaboration between government and transport unions to implement a vehicle identification system to support monitoring and enforcement.
“We are ready to meet the Government and work together with other transport unions to find a solution to the challenges,” he said.
Source:NKONKONSA.com
