Accra, June 16, GNA - The Ghana Private Road Transport Union (GPRTU) has appealed to Metropolitan, Municipal and District Assemblies to allow the Union to construct hostels for its members at lorry stations throughout the country.
The call was made by Alhaji E. A. Tetteh, Chairman of the Greater Accra Regional Branch of the GPRTU, in an interview with the Ghana News Agency (GNA) in Accra.
Speaking on the spate of lorry accidents in recent times claiming a number of lives leading to an agitation for the banning of 207 Mercedes Benz buses for long journeys, he said hostels at lorry parks would enable long distance drivers, who went out of their stations, to have decent places to rest.
He attributed most of the accidents to human error and fatigue and said if drivers could have enough rest overnight when they were out of their stations they would be refreshed enough to travel safely on their way back.
Alhaji Tetteh said: "Whenever we plead with the Assemblies to allow us to construct resting places at the lorry stations they do not allow" and stated that drivers had to sleep in their vehicles or in hotels, which exposed them to all sort of temptations. He noted that drivers staying overnight at a GPRTU hostels would save them from the temptation of taking alcoholic beverages since hard liquor would not be served at the facilities. The Greater Accra GPRTU Chairman explained: "They will wake up the next day refreshed to make the journey back to their home station with no fatigue." Alhaji Tetteh called for more efforts by all stakeholders in the road transport sector such as the transport unions; Motor Traffic and Transport Unit (MTTU) of the Police Service and the National Road Safety Committee to step up their education of drivers to reduce accidents. "Our best in terms of driver education has not been enough and we can't brand any vehicle as bad except that lack of maintenance renders every vehicle bad. There is nothing wrong with the 207 Benz buses," he said.
Mr Robert Sabah, Greater Accra Regional GPRTU Vice Chairman, said he was not in favour of the banning of the 207 Mercedes buses from making long journeys.
He said he did not believe that the recent accidents were due to the specification of the vehicle but said: "I would put the blame solely on the heads of the drivers. It is an act of indiscipline in the sense that they should be able to abide with the Road Traffic Regulations and if they do, these accidents would definitely be minimised". Mr Sabah also called for more training and education for drivers and blamed some passengers, saying: "They can determine when a driver is speeding at any particular time to advise them to slow down. If this is done the hue and cry about the 207 and for that matter accidents would not come," Mr Sabah said.
He called for patience on the part of drivers and said they should be screened before being allowed to go on long distance routes.
Mr Charles Doe, Secretary of the Accra - Kpando Local Union of the GPRTU, said only drivers with 10 years and above experience should be allowed to handle vehicles for long journeys.
He said that 207 Benz buses for five passengers in a roll should be reduced to four and those with four a roll must be made to take three people to reduce the weight of the vehicles to curb accidents. Mr Doe called for the introduction of special stickers to make for the easy identification of vehicles in case of speeding, dangerous driving and rudeness by drivers and their mates to passengers and other road users.
He also called for the re-introduction of the GPRTU Guards to check drivers on the highways to complement the work of the MTTU in enforcing road traffic regulations.
Mr John Agodoa, First Trustee of the Accra-Kpando GPRTU, said there was no problem with the 207 Benz buses but attributed the spate of accidents involving the model to the drivers.
According to him many of the drivers on the highways were not disciplined and said the present labour law, which allowed for the multiplicity of trades unions in a sector was a factor since any driver, who was sanctioned for gross misbehaviour, only left his union for the other.
Mr Agodoa stressed the need for the various local union executives to check the tyres and other accessories of vehicles and the state of drivers before allowing them to embark on long journeys. Mr Martin Akpoh, Secretary of the Vakpo Local Union of the GPRTU in the Volta Region, called on Licensing Officers of the Vehicle Examination and Licensing Division (VELD), to ensure that they really tested people before issuing them with driving documents such as Road Worthy Certificate.
He said they should also ensure the full compliance of the criteria for the issuance of licences to drivers. Mr Andrews Odartey Lamptey, Station Master of the Accra-Somanya GPRTU, pointed out that the 207 Mercedes buses were good but also called for proper training for the people, who handled the vehicle and said drivers should serve at least three years apprenticeship before being allowed on the highway.
He described the 207 buses, as the leading vehicle for the passenger transport in the country and said banning them would have a serious effect on the sector.
Mr Odartey Lamptey stated that the model came into the country with its four braking system in working conditions but the rear pair of some of the vehicles were normally "condemned" when they were converted for passenger purposes and called for regular checks to ensure that all the braking system were intact.
