Commercial drivers to get pension fund

An agreement to set up a pension fund to support private commercial drivers in their old age has been signed at a ceremony in Kumasi.

The PTAG-Fund is an initiative of the Private Transport Association of Ghana (PTAG), a management consultancy firm in Kumasi and the United Pensions Trustees (UPT), Insurance and Pensions Fund-Management Company based in Accra.

The aim is to aid drivers put aside some money for investment while actively working in order to benefit from the various social interventions and services for themselves and their families.

Mr Owusu Achiaw, President of PTAG, said the fund was a welfare scheme designed to assist improve the socio-economic welfare of private commercial drivers registered under it.

He said aside the pension scheme, subscribers would benefit from an education fund to support their children, legal aid services, credit to purchase their own vehicles as well as training and capacity building to enhance their work.

Mr Achiaw said PTAG had come to transform the transportation sector with emphasis on empowering drivers to lift their socio-economic lives both in active service and in retirement.

Mr Seth Obiri, Managing Director of UPT, said under the scheme, subscribers would be provided with flexible loans to expand their operations.

Assistant Superintendent of Police (ASP) Emmanuel Asiama, KNUST District Commander of the Motor Traffic and Transport Department (MTTD) of the Ghana Police Service, advised drivers to abide by road traffic rules and regulations to reduce crash fatalities.

He commended drivers in the Ashanti region for the reduction of road crashes during the Christmas period and said with a little caution the roads would be safe for everybody.