GPRTU to undertake drivers' educational tour

Accra, Sept 28, GNA - The Ghana Private Road Transport Union (GPRTU) has constituted a team to undertake a tour of the country to educate all its members on road safety in a bid to reduce the increasing spate of accidents on the highways.

Mr Alando A. Sidik, Deputy General of Administration of the GPRTU, told the Ghana News Agency in an interview that the union had already drawn up a programme for the tour, which involves other institutions such as the Ghana Police Service, Ghana National Fire Service, Driver and Vehicle Licensing Authority (DVLA) and insurance companies. The Union would also embark on television and radio programmes in the local languages to ensure that the right messages reached both drivers and passengers.

Mr Sidik said road accidents were becoming more dangerous than HIV/AIDS because a little mistake or indiscretion on the part of a driver could lead to the death of many people at a time. He attributed the increase in road accidents to human error, bad roads, and lack of skills on the part of people, who did not attend any driving courses but learnt to drive while practising as drivers' mates, mechanics or car washers.

Mr Sadik also blamed the DVLA for failing to conduct instance checks on these drivers to verify the authenticity of their driving licences.

He, however, conceded the fact that the GPRTU was finding it difficult to organise and control drivers, who were not members of the Union, and suggested that the government must intervene to compel all commercial drivers to register with the various drivers' unions or associations.