Mass transport not meant to undermine private business

Kumasi, Aug 29, GNA- Mr Emmanuel Adjei Boye, Deputy Minister of Roads and Highways, has denied speculations in certain quarters of the transport industry that the introduction of the Metro Mass Transport by the government was an attempt to undermine the business of private road transport operators.

He said contrary to that, government introduced the system in a bid to complement and facilitate efforts of private road transport operators at providing more reliable and quality services to the travelling public.

Mr Adjei-Boye was addressing the opening session of the sixth quadrennial delegates conference of the Ghana Private Road Transport Union (GPRTU) in Kumasi on Friday.

The conference, which is being attended by 1,600 delegates from all over the country, has the theme, "Moving people and goods safely for a sustainable national economy".

Mr Adjei-Boye advised the various private transport unions and operators not to perceive the mass transport system as a rival transport body but "as an ally in the drive at improving upon the transport system in the country".

Mr Yaw Barimah, Minister of Manpower Development and Employment, made it clear to the executives and members of the GPRTU that the long-term viability, reliability and success of its competitiveness depends on the quality of its human resources.

"It is important, therefore, that the national executives put in place programmes that will ensure the training and retraining of their members for them to appreciate the nature of the job with a view to increasing productivity", the Minister said.

Mr Sampson Kwaku Boafo, Ashanti Regional Minister, called for collaboration between registered driving schools, police and the Driver, Vehicle and Licensing Authority (DVLA) and the various transport unions in the issuing of license to drivers.

"Such a collaboration should ensure that before any person is issued with a driving license, he will have to submit a certificate from a qualified driving institution to testify that he has received some training", the Regional Minister said.