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The Association of Vulcanizers Ghana has called on the National Roads Safety Authority (NRSA) and the Ghana Standards Authority (GSA) to educate its members as part of efforts to ensure safety and an accident-free Christmas.
The essence was to educate the vulcanizers on the need to reduce tyre-related road accidents in the country.
Members of the association were urged to ensure that all necessary measures are applied to avoid tyre-related road accidents before, during and after the Christmas festivities.
In an interview, the General Secretary of the Association, Chief Basiru Karimu Bukorba, stated that since the formation of the Association, accidents caused by the negligence of some vulcanizers have reduced drastically.
He revealed that due to the contribution of the Association in reducing road accidents in the country, it has been recognised by the Ghana Road Safety Authority, Ghana Standards Authority, Ministry of Roads and Highways, GPRTU, PROTOA among other stakeholders in the road transport industry.
The General Secretary of the association made a passionate appeal to the government to help reduce import charges on vulcanizing equipment as it will help in reducing road carnage in the country.
He revealed that the association has negotiated with some companies that deal in vulcanizing equipment to help provide equipment for its members on hire purchase but the high cost of those equipment has compelled the members not to go for the said equipment.
He added that the waiver on the automobile equipment will strengthen and expand the skill work industry and make it more attractive for the youth to venture into.
He further called on the government to come to their aid and support them in educating vulcanizers in the rural areas of the country as the association has targeted a number of communities they would like to extend their education to, to ensure that vulcanizers in those areas have much knowledge on their profession and serve the nation better.
The General Secretary further revealed that through the association, a number of vulcanizers are now proud of their profession as the public has come to appreciate the work of vulcanizers.
He noted that a number of parents are now willing to bring their children to learn the vulcanizing work.
Mr Robert Ayetey, the National Organizer of the Association, called on members to ensure that they keep their work place hygienic and safe to the satisfaction of their clients.
He urged them to as well change the water they use to check punctures regularly and keep it clean as it.
For his part, the Planning Manager at the Directorate of Regulation, Inspection and Compliance of the Ghana Road Safety Authority, Nana Asare Mintah, revealed that the Authority's collaboration with the Association of Vulcanizers Ghana is to provide safe service to its customers, adding that the Authority is working with the Vulcanizers Association to reduce the number of accidents on the roads.
Mr Mintah revealed that the Road Safety Authority is putting together some regulations which are before Parliament. The regulations according to him will require that the Authority give out a permit before anybody could operate as a vulcanizer.
He added that the new regulations if passed by Parliament will require, a person to belong to an association where he or she receives constant training.
The Authority, he added, will also ensure that the Ghana Standards Authority calibrates gauges and measuring equipment of the vulcanizers before issuance of a permit.
