Eyes on the Ground: How trotro drivers are placing money before human lives

Whilst scores are trying judiciously, to adhere to the orders and directives of the President, following some 152 confirmed cases of the coronavirus in Ghana, others remain indifferent, unperturbed and determined to put their selfish interests above the lives of everybody else.

President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo, on more than one occasion, during his address to the nation in these times, has entreated all commercial drivers and their mates to keep the social distancing rule, to avoid the situation where passengers are exposed to risk.

In his words,

“Riders of motorbikes are not allowed to carry any additional person and all intra-city passenger vehicles such as trotros and taxis must reduce the number of passengers in order to observe appropriate social distancing and hygiene protocols.”

The new restrictions are part of measures to contain the spread of the virus which has killed 5 out of the 152 confirmed cases so far.

Chairman of the Ghana Private Road Transport Union (GPRTU) also directed its members to reduce the number of passengers by one on each row.

This means vehicles that carry three on normal days are supposed to carry two per row while those who take four per row will do three.

Ghanaweb’s cameras caught up with a driver and mate whose sole concern was getting their daily sales, even to the detriment of passengers.

Instead of a reduced number, the car had three passengers each on every seat in the car. The only empty seat was one which had been bought by a passenger who wouldn’t mind paying for a seat than risking his life.

Then again, one would ask why such passengers will still join a car when they know their lives are at risk. Government and health experts are doing their possible best to rid the country of this deadly pandemic but how prepared is the populace to meet them at least halfway?

Watch a video of the situation as captured by Ghanaweb in its lockdown series, “Eyes on the Ground”.

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