Mr Stephen Nartey, Chairman of the Ashaiman Branch of the Ghana Private Road Transport Union (GPRTU) has said COVID-19 has had negative impact on the transport business.
“We have therefore joined national campaign against the spread of the pandemic”.
Mr Nartey Stephen, said transport owners, drivers and all stakeholders were affected directly and indirectly since the lockdown and the introduction of restrictions by the government as measures to minimize the spread of the virus.
He told the Ghana News Agency in an interview that daily sales and income of both drivers and transport owners were affected due to the reduction in numbers of passengers.
“Worse off is that due to the stay home campaign people are not going out, people are not traveling for fear of contracting the virus,” he said.
The chairman said having received permission to use specific routes such as Ashaiman to Kumasi, Asamankese, Nsawam, Achimota, Kpando and other places across the country, other operators found their way to operate those same routes which created confusion from time to time and called on the Municipal Assembly to look into the challenge.
Mr Stephen Assan, Second Trustee, Ashaiman GPRTU, Achimota/Nsawam Station said the reduction in the number of passengers in order to observe social distancing weakened their finances as they were unable to meet their personal responsibilities at home.
He said the fare from Ashiaman to Achimota remained GH¢6.00 a full load before COVID-19 was GH¢138.00 ‘but now we only get GH¢90.00 and Ashiaman to Nsawam is still GH¢10.00 which gives you GH¢230.00 before COVID-19, but now you only get GH¢150.00, “we are losing money”.
He called on the government to increase the fares a bit to enable drivers and transport owners to close up on their income and meet their need more conveniently as they were not able to make more trips per day as before.
Mr Ohene Gyan, First Trustee at the station said before, his driver made sales GH¢840.00 per week, but now makes GH¢500.00 due to the reduction in passengers, with fuel prices and cost of maintenance going.
He said due to the pressures and inconvenience posed, most car owners packed their vehicles.
Mr Ebenezer Budu, a driver’s mate, with about six years’ experience at the station said loading of three passengers per roll had reduced his income per trip as they made GH¢130.00 per trip in the past and now made only GH¢60.00.
He said they complied with all the COVID-19 protocols expected of them but he had to insist that some passengers put on their masks before joining his vehicle.
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