The Northern Regional Branch of the Ghana Private Road and Transport Union (GPRTU) of the Trade Union Congress (TUC), has noted that effective Tuesday January 26, 2021, passengers who do note mask-up will be denied access to transport services under their watch. This follows the surge in Covid-19 cases recorded in the country, with the president’s directive for all to practice enhanced safety protocols to curb the spread.
The GPRTU of TUC lamented the widespread disregard for the safety protocols by the general public in curbing the spread of the Pandemic, which according to them not only put their members at risk, but also the general public.
This was made known during a press briefing organized by the GPRTU in Tamale Tuesday, January 26, 2021. In his submission, the Northern Regional chairman of the GPRTU Alhaji Abubakari Alhassan noted that, per the directives taken by the union on the safety protocols, the union has kept several measures in place, to help combat the virus in the Northern Region.
All lorry stations are to put in place a hand washing device and ensure both drivers and passengers practice proper hand washing before boarding, provide hand sanitizer on all buses and also ensure all passengers and drivers alike abide by the wearing of nose mask before boarding to embark on their journeys.
All busses are also to be washed thoroughly before embarking on journeys.
The Chairman further revealed that a five – member Regional task force will be put in place to monitor and enforce compliance and ensure sustainability, Drivers and members of the union who flout these directives will risk losing their right to load for more than a month.
The chairman stressed that, the support of the Ghana police service to ensure a strict compliance of the safety protocols on floating drivers who do not belong to their union will be needed. 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.
Source:Fiilafmonline/NiiSowa
