What a Mess!

A terrible car accident occurred after Monday's downpour in Accra close to the Elf Filling Station between Alajo and Caprice. Many of the accidents have been blamed on drunk driving. The Ghana Private Road Transport Union (GPRTU) in line with such sentiments has directed that no alcohol should be sold at lorry stations.

In reaction to the directive, a number of drinking bar operators in the Cape Coast Township has urged the GPRTU to educate its members against drunk driving to curb the accidents rather than slapping a ban on the sale of alcohol at lorry stations.

The operators, who have their premises at the main lorry stations at Kotokoraba and Tantri, told the Ghana News Agency that they sell to the general public and not specifically to drivers alone and described the directive as punitive and meant to deprive them of their livelihood.

Vehicles from Cape Coast to Accra, Kumasi and Obuasi load at Tantri while those at Kotokoraba, ply Foso, Swedru, Mankessim and Sekondi- Takoradi routes.

The GPRTU about nine days ago issued a directive banning the sale of alcohol at lorry stations and parks as part of efforts to reduce the rate of accidents on the road.

One bar operator at the Kotokoraba station, Mr Amos Kwesi said the drivers do not buy at the station, where GPRTU officials are always present.

Mr Albert Mensah and Mr Cab Annan, First Trustee and Administrative Secretary, of the numbers One and Two branches of the GPRTU at Tantri, said it would be difficult for them to enforce the ban since both the union and the bar owners rent their premises from the Municipal Assembly.

"It is very difficult for a tenant to ask his co-tenant to stop business," they lamented and appealed to the assembly to intervene, since the bar operators are accountable to it only.

A highly placed source at the assembly told the GNA that it was taking measures to ensure that the directive was complied with.