GPRTU to suspend drivers who flout COVID-19 protocols

The Northern Regional Branch of the Ghana Private Road Transport Union (GPRTU), says any driver who fails to comply with the COVID-19 safety protocols at the station will face one-month suspension.

The union says it has observed with concern, a general disregard for the safety protocols by commuters, drivers, and mates at the various lorry parks in Tamale, hence the drastic measure to instil discipline and curb the spread of the pandemic.

Speaking at a press conference in Tamale, the chairman of the union, Alhaji Abubakari Alhassan said that, to ensure strict compliance, a five-member task force will be put in place to enforce the directive and report recalcitrant members of the union for disciplinary action.

“Member Regional task force will be put in place to monitor and enforce compliance and to ensure that it subsides until such a time that the virus is brought under control. We are therefore appealing to the various Assemblies, security agencies, the media to support the union to effectively enforce the health and safety protocols.”

“The union is also appealing to the public to cooperate and bear with us by reporting drivers who are not ready to comply with the directives for action to be taken against them. Any driver or executive of the union who flouts these directives will risk losing his or her rights to pick passengers for more than a month or be suspended for a month,” he added.

Ghana has recorded 679 new COVID-19 cases. This brings the country's active case count to 3,286 as of Monday, January 25, 2021.

This is according to Ghana Health Service's latest update. Five more deaths have also been recorded, increasing the death toll to 367.

Meanwhile, some 146 clinical recoveries have also been recorded.

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