Drivers advised to join GPRTU(17/1/09)

Story: Francis Yaw Kyei and Jennifer Dornoo
THE Greater Accra Regional Vice-Chairman of the Ghana Private Road Transport Union (GPRTU), Mr Robert Sarbah, has urged all drivers to register with the GPRTU to enjoy the enormous benefits offered by the union.
Mr Sarbah said drivers who belonged to the union enjoyed benefits such as end-of-year bonuses and loans, stressing, “We operate welfare schemes and support members when they lose relatives and also give loans to some drivers to repair or buy new cars.”
Speaking to the Daily Graphic in an interview, he explained that most of the drivers who did not belong to the union picked up passengers by the roadside and committed various traffic offences.
He advised Ghanaians against boarding vehicles that were not registered with the union, since the drivers of those vehicles did not ensure the safety of passengers and their luggage, adding that it was difficult to trace such vehicles when passengers misplaced their items.
Mr Sarbah said some drivers failed to join unions such as the GPRTU because they did not want to operate within stipulated rules and regulations to ensure safety on the roads.
He said others could also not follow instructions and rules at the various stations, such as waiting for their turn to load their vehicles, adding that “they rather prefer driving along the streets to pick passengers”.
Mr Sarbah indicated that most of such drivers were guilty of reckless driving, speeding, wrongful parking and other traffic offences.