Kumasi, June 5, GNA - Members of Ashanti Regional Secretariat of Ghana Private Road Transport Union (GPRTU) on Thursday demonstrated against the introduction of Route Operational Permits (ROP) by the Kumasi Metropolitan Assembly (KMA) under the Urban Transport Project (UTP).

The demonstrators mostly urvan and taxi drivers marched through some principal streets in Kumasi, wearing red arm and head bands and chanting war songs carried placards some of which read, "We are tired of the KMA", "ROP is a killer policy", "Urban Passenger Transport is not a solution to congestion" and "Where do you want us to make livelihood". They later converged at the Ashanti Regional Co-ordinating Council (ARCC) and presented a petition to Mr Kofi Opoku-Manu, Ashanti Regional Minister.

Last week, the Urban Roads Department of Ministry of Transport and KMA announced that with effect from July 2009, ROP under which taxis and intra-city buses would apply for permits to improve urban mobility as the first phase of the UTP. Under ROP each commercial driver would apply for a specific route to ply for a year subject to renewal and there would be reserved lanes for drivers issued with the permits to reduce traffic congestion in the metropolis.

In addition, an Urban Passenger Transport (UPT) under which only big buses would operate is to be established and strengthened to serve as an alternative means of transport within the metropolis. The UTP that seeks to improve urban mobility is currently being implemented by 10 metropolitan and municipal assemblies that have already enacted by-laws to regulate urban passenger transport services.

Mr Issah Musah Khaleepha, Principal Industrial Relations Officer of the union speaking to Ghana News Agency in Kumasi, said: "We have no qualms on efforts to reduce congestion in the metropolis but are sceptical about the issuance of permits." He said traffic congestion and spatial problems could be addressed and managed effectively when the causes were ascertained, analysed and tackled holistically because the approach being adopted under the UTP could not address and manage the incidence of motor and human congestion effectively.

Mr Khaleepha explained that problems of traffic congestion in the metropolis were due to the high rate of rural-urban migration, poor city planning, haphazard and disorderly placements of make-shift shops, lack of political will to decongest and move hawkers from the streets, as well as lack of parking lots for shoppers and shop owners who park their cars on the streets and pavements.

"The GPRTU is not against ROP but its implementation in the wake of prevailing conditions, the KMA should therefore work hard to improve and extend the road networks in the metropolis to make up for the UPT and other commercial vehicles, " he said.

"The KMA should also check encroachments on sub-urban link roads and provide more terminal and taxi ranks," he added. Mr Opoku-Manu, commended the demonstrators for the peaceful manner they organised the demonstration and promised that their grievances would be addressed by stakeholders. 5 June 09