A meeting between city authorities and transport unions in Kumasi over a planned re-organization drive at the city’s Central Business District (CBD) ended inconclusively.
The leadership of the transport unions say the Kumasi Metropolitan Assembly is yet to decide on various proposals. The Assembly has been in a tussle with transport operators following a ban on tricycles and other commercial vehicles operating within the trading hub.
A protest led by the tricycle operators earlier this week follows the arrest of their colleagues who flouted the directive. The protesters mounted a major roadblock leading to the Kejetia Market Complex to kick against the directive.
Thursday’s meeting sought to address all concerns and find ways to ensure compliance with the directive. But the Secretary of the Pragya Workers Association of Ghana Dauda Amadi Ayamdago says their members are not convinced about the KMA’s position on the matter.
“We have heard them right, but what we are not comfortable with is that they are asking us to accept the ban, and if there are any grievances, we can serve them a letter or meet them and discuss the issues”.
“But the moment we accept that demarcation or boundary they are setting, it means we have obeyed them like that. It will not happen, and it will not benefit us. It means we are not going to operate any longer. So, it is more or less they are banning tricycles in the CBD rather than us accepting the ban directive. We will go and consult our members, but they should reduce the boundaries”, he said.
The KMA says it is seeking the intervention of state security to enforce this directive effective 7 August. Head of the Transport Department at the KMA Randy Wilson admonished the transport unions to comply with the directive, stressing that the Assembly is open to further engagements.
“Based on discussions that have gone on today, we are hoping that the leadership of the tricycle association will go and speak with their members that they obey the rules that have been set. When they obey the rules and there are any infringements, anything that goes against their operations, they can write it down on paper and bring it to the assembly.”
“The mayor is there; the coordinating director is there. If they think the issues are not properly dealt with, they can send the letter to the complaints committee, and the complaints committee will sit on it. After that, we know that the general assembly will also look at the situation and take further decisions on it, but the first thing is for my brothers to obey the rule that has been set,” he stated.
SOURCE: DAILY MAIL GH
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