Commercial drivers in Koforidua the Eastern Regional capital are busily working in spite of nationwide strike action declared by the Coalition of Commercial Transport Operators.
According to the drivers they have not been directed by their Regional leadership to commence the strike action.
The Regional Chairman of GPRTU Johnson Kyereh said, the intended strike action has been suspended to pave way for further negotiation with the government.
“We have not received any letter from our leadership to go on strike . What we know is that the National Leadership of GPRTU has been invited by the presidency for further engagement”.
Meanwhile, the drivers say due to the enforcement of the strike in the Greater Accra Region, they are unable to enter their various lorry terminals in Accra even when they transport passengers from Koforidua to Accra.
The Coalition of Commercial Transport Operators declared a sit-down strike starting Monday 6th December 2021 across the country.
The Coalition in a statement has directed the leadership of all its affiliates to close their stations and advise all drivers and car owners to fully comply with the directive.
They also cautioned all members that there will be severe administrative consequences for any member who is found to be in breach of this announcement.
“That we are calling on the government to, as a matter of national emergency, to totally scrap the Price Stabilization and Recovery Levy, the Special Petroleum Tax, Energy Sector Levy, Energy Debt Recovery Levy and the Sanitation and Pollution Levy from the pump price of petroleum products before the midnight of Sunday the 5th December 2021.
“That in the unfortunate failure of the government to fulfil the demands of the Coalition, as stated in paragraph 3, above, the Coalition will have no other option but to commence our sit-down strike action across the country effective Monday the 6th December 2021,” the Coalition statement.
The Coalition is made up of commercial passenger and cargo transporters as well as online taxi service operators and commercial motorcycle operators popularly referred to as “Okada”.
According to the Coalition, the decision to embark on the strike was agreed upon during a meeting held in the Ghana Trades Union Congress Building in Accra, on Monday the 22nd November 2021.
“ in protest against the deafening silence of the government in the 2022 budget statement on the removal of the five (5) specific nuisance levies and taxes that we listed in our press conference on the 9th November 2021 at the Neoplan Station in Accra. We have resolved to take actions that will protect our livelihoods and also alleviate the suffering of the travelling masses.
“That all commercial passenger and cargo vehicles shall display red bands on their vehicles with effect from tomorrow Tuesday 23rd November 2021 as a signal to the government regarding our impending sit-down strike action,” they added.
Source: Mybrytfmonline.com/Obed Ansah
