Striking Taxi drivers in Sunyani have resumed work following the announcement that the much awaited authority letter from National Motor Union Head Officein Accra, had arrived barely hours after the commencement of their strike action. Though the Sunayni Municipal Assemby and Motor Union Officials are yet to decide on new transport fares, the drivers say they can manage with the old fare (¢2,500) which they could not charge because motor union officials did not receive any authourity from Accra. The old transport fare gave drivers an increment of five hundred cedis.
"Because we did not receive any authority from Accra, we could not allow our drivers to charge the approved fare. With the receipt of the letter from Accra, at least, we can now charge the old fare", union officials told Space FM. But because the Municpal Assembly has not officially announced the new fares, some passengers and drivers have been battling it out as to how much is to be charged.
While some pasengers argue that the drivers should not decide on how much they should charge, the drivers claim they have the 'moral right' to do so because what they are charging now, was the old fare they were not allowed to charge.
Over eight hundred taxi cab drivers in the Sunyani Municipality region, last week embarked on a strike action in protest against the refusal of their excutives to allow them increase transport fares following the recent increment in fuel prices.
By 7am, on Wednesday, the impact of the strike was greatly being felt as most workers, were compeled to walk to their work places. Leaders of the aggrieved drivers, Mr Anthony Kumi, Kwame Owusu and Emmanuel Agyiri,went on Space FM on Tuesday evening and urged their colleague drivers not to work. "We are calling on all taxi drivers in Sunyani to park their vehicles beginning from Wednesday until our grivances are met", they announced.
Most of the drivers obeyed their leaders and refused to work, forcing several workers to walk long distances to their offices. There were some drivers, who did not comply with directive because they were not affected much using the old fares because their vehicles run on gas which is economical compared to diesel and petrol. Seth Opoku Agyemang, head of education desk at Space FM, was saved by a good samaritan who gave him a ride after walking from Fiapre for some meters. 'I had no option than to walk from Fiapre to Newtow", he said.
Though taxis were plying the usual routes, some owners of the vehicles were behind the steering wheels.
A market woman, Antie Agnes Akua Mansah from Berekum, said the timing of the strike action was very "effective" because it was a market day in Sunyani.
Mr Kumi told Space FM that Motor Union officials met the Sunyani Municipal Chief Executive, Mr Kwame Twumasi Awuah late last week on the issue. According to him, the MCE told them that transport fares could only be increased with the approval of national executives of the Motor Union.
Later on Space FM, the Sunyani GPRTU Taxi branch chairman Mr. Emmanuel Bissi and the Secretary, Mr. Douglas Damoah calmed down tension when they announced that the much awaited authority letter from Union Executives in Accra had been received and that based on that development, new transport fares could be released.
"With this letter, we can now sit with assembly officials and work on the much expected transport fares", Mr Bissi told Nana KAS, host of Space FM's Morning Flight programme.
When the assurance was given, some drivers were seen picking passengers with the hope that by the close of the day, new transport fares would be announced. The Municipal Assembly is expected to release new fares by the close of this week.
