Stationed drivers blame city authorities for allowing set up of illegal terminals

Correspondence from Ashanti Region

Authorities of the Kumasi Metropolitan Assembly have incurred the wrath of some stationed drivers within the metropolis for allowing illegal drivers to set up stations at some unauthorized places.

According to the disappointed drivers they were very alarmed by the rate at which the KMA looked on for these illegal terminals to operate without taking the necessary actions against perpetrators.

Kumasi, of late, has been witnessing several questionable lorry terminals at various places and this has become a topic for discussion.

Some stationed drivers lamenting the issue in an interview with GhanaWeb complained bitterly over how the situation has been affecting their legal businesses that pay tax to the government.

Blaming it on the Kumasi Metropolitan Assembly, the disappointed drivers said, the failure of the Kumasi Metropolitan assembly to regulate the system has been the major cause for which most of these drivers set up terminals in the middle of roads and other places.

Mentioning some places like the Suame Roundabout and some parts of Kejetia as typical examples, the drivers expressed worry over how the KMA looked on for these stations to be set up in the middle of the road to cause accidents and destruction to some moving vehicles.

Some of these worried drivers who spoke to this reporter at the Kumasi- Tamale- Techiman lorry terminal at Krofrom, said, most unauthorized stations have been established due to a lack of proper regulations.

"Now it's badly affecting our business. For how long do we have to complain before the authorities ensure sanity?" a driver quizzed.



Another driver who complained about the development revealed how some drivers pick up passengers to the Northern region without using the appropriate route.

According to him, most passengers who make mistakes to board these cars to the Northern region usually end up being dropped in the middle of the road by these heartless drivers.

"It happens and we're all aware that most of these recalcitrant passengers turn to look vulnerable, especially when there is an unfortunate incident.

"They usually pick them up at unauthorized places and drop them in the middle of the road," he said.

The drivers have however appealed to the KMA authorities to up their games in making sure they curb the situation that is badly affecting both passengers and drivers in the business market.

Krofrom branch chairman of the GPRTU, Alhaji Siaka Yahaya, speaking on the matter said, several complaints had been made on the issue but are yet to yield any fruits.

According to him, the Kumasi-Tamale-Techiman terminal at Krofrom was purposely set up to make stranded passengers get comfortable places to pick up their cars, but it was very sad to note that the station has been ignored by most of these recalcitrant drivers who in turn put innocent passengers in danger.

He however urged the Kumasi Metropolitan Assembly to immediately clamp down on these recalcitrant drivers before things get worse. He also urged passengers to stop picking cars at unauthorized places where they may end up looking vulnerable in case there is any unfortunate incident.