GPRTU, GRTCC condemn action of drivers

The Ghana Private Road Transport Union (GPRTU) of the Trades Union Congress (TUC) and the Ghana Road Transport Coordinating Council (GRTCC) have dissociated themselves from the strike by some commercial drivers in Accra Monday.

In an interview, the General Secretary of the GPRTU, Mr Stephen K. Okudzeto, told the Daily Graphic that negotiations were currently ongoing between the Ministry of Transport and the DVLA concerning the issues raised by the drivers.

However, he said, because the drivers who embarked on the demonstration were not members of the GPRTU and the GRTCC, they had no idea that such discussions to address the concerns were going on.

He explained that the leaders of the various transport unions had always been at the forefront of negotiations on behalf of all drivers, including those who were not their members.

He said there were laid down procedures to address the grievances of their members and strike was not part of the rules and regulations.

For his part, the General Secretary of the GRTCC, Alhaji Aliyu Baba, said the two bodies condemned the actions by some drivers who called themselves “committed drivers” after they held a joint meeting in Accra Monday.

The two bodies, the GPRTU and GRTCC, therefore, called on their members to refrain from such strikes and channel their grievances through the appropriate means for redress.

Meanwhile, the Driver and Vehicle Licensing Authority (DVLA) yesterday held a stakeholders’ meeting to resolve the issues which formed the basis for the strike by commercial drivers in Accra.

The meeting was said to have been attended by representatives of the National Road Safety Commission, the police Motor Traffic and Transport Department (MTTD) and transport unions.

The outcome of the meeting, according to an official of the DVLA, would be announced today.

The law

Commercial drivers yesterday went on strike to protest against the implementation of the amended Road Traffic Regulation; Legislative Instrument (LI) 2180.

The law requires drivers to wear seatbelts and pass a computerised test before new licences will be issued to them.

They are also to have biometric roadworthy certificates. The provisions have angered the drivers who have contended, among other concerns that many of them are illiterate and, therefore, would not be able to write computerised tests.

In a related development, the Chief Executive of the DVLA, Mr Rudolph Berkley, is reported to have told Radio Ghana that aggrieved drivers should have furnished the DVLA with their concerns.

He also advised drivers to follow procedures in resolving their concern.