We Are Not Ready To Reduce Passengers Because Of COVID-19 -GPRTU
The Ghana Private Road Transport Union, GPRTU says it will be practically impossible to take two passengers on a seat. Talks about a possible lockdown has sent shivers down the spine of the transport operators who have begun discussing among themselves on how they would cope if a second lockdown comes into effect.
In March when the country went on a lockdown, transport owners were forced to reduce the number of passengers’ intake on a seat. 207 buses took three passengers per seat whiles the Mini Bus or Urvan took two passenger per roll.
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The Ghana Private Road Transport Union (GPRTU) has served notice that it will take strong punitive action against its member organisations at the various lorry parks across the country who fail to impress on their drivers to observe and enforce the COVID-19 preventive protocols.
The union said it had, among other preventive practices to help curb the spread of the pandemic, directed all drivers under its umbrella and their conductors to wear face masks at all times and enforce same for passengers.
Among other sanctions, in accordance with the GPRTU constitution, the union has cautioned that drivers who flout the directive risk “losing their right to load” for more than a month.
The Ghana Private Road Transport Union (GPRTU) National Secretariat in Accra has set up a special GPRTU task force to join forces with the police among other security agencies to enforce all COVID-19 protocols at public transport yards and stations.
The Ghana Private Road Transport Union (GPRTU) says a taskforce will be constituted to enforce and monitor adherence of COVID-19 safety protocols at their various bus terminals across the country.
Some drivers at the Tema Station Lorry Park in Accra, have appealed to government and private institutions to support them with Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) in the fight against COVID-19.
They said they lacked nose masks, hand sanitisers and hand washing facilities and needed support to contain the spread of the virus at the station.
The drivers made the appeal through the Ghana News Agency, after President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo, directed the Police to enforce the wearing of nose masks and observance of safety protocols by all, including traders, drivers and passengers.
Mr Emmanuel Ankrah, Ghana Private Road Transport Union (GPRTU), Secretary at the Good Shepherd Tema Station branch, said “most drivers, commuters and traders at the station” were not observing the COVID-19 safety protocols due to necessity.