Support commercial drivers to implement social distancing – Govt urged

Government must support public transport operators to help them implement social distancing measures. This is the view of Mark Ewusi Arkoh, national youth organizer of the Peoples National Convention, PNC.

Ghanaweb monitored an interview Arkoh granted to Accra-based Asaase radio: “Government should look at stepping in [with subsidies] to help drivers so that they can implement social distancing and reduced passengers within their transports.”

Despite a number of restrictions imposed in president Nana Addo-Dankwa Akufo-Addo’s January 31 coronavirus address, there was nothing mentioned relative to transport.

The president has, however, given the Ghana Police Service instructions to enforce mask wearing in all public places. A number of people have decried how social distancing is almost impossible in most commercial transport.

The Ghana Private Road Transport Union, GPRTU weeks back stressed why it was impossible to socially distance passenger seating in their vehicles.

In March 2020 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.

National Chairman of the GPRTU, Nana Nimako Bresiamah told TV3 last month: “If you use a bus to convey people, taking two passengers won’t work…

“At first the bus was taking four passengers on every row but we have already reduced to three. For you to tell me that even Pragia (rickshaw) of all is taking three at the back nobody is complaining why should Urvan, Nissan bus take two, taxi is taking two … So we feel if we take three it will be okay,” he stressed.

Police have routinely stopped commercial transport and insisted that people not wearing masks disembark till they get masks. Arrests have been made relative to persons not respecting mask wearing protocols in public.