The Ghana Haulage Transport Owners Association (GHTOA) has announced an indefinite strike effective today (Saturday February 1, 2014) in protest against government’s implementation of the new axle load regime.

About 18,000 Articulated truck operators are expected to participate in the agreed protest.

The strike will affect haulage services at all ports in the country as well as the Kotoka International Airport.

The association says government’s refusal to grant a request to peg the axel load limit to conform to that of other neighbouring countries prompted the withdrawal of their services.

General Secretary of the association, Salia Adams said at a press conference that: “We are protesting against the implementation of the new axle load limits”.

“Following a nationwide call to all loading points by the Ghana Highway Authority and the Ministry to implement new axle load limits from the first of February 2013, in spite of our numerous pleas for 68 tonnes to be in conformity with UEMOA countries to no avail, our position as hauliers, is to hold back our service from the same date that the Government will start implementation,” Mr Salia said.

UEMOA is the French acronym for the West African Economic and Monetary Union which is made up of Benin, Burkina Faso, Cote d’Ivoire, Guinea-Bissau, Mali, Niger, Senegal and Togo.

According to Mr Salia, “all trucks – starting from KIA to the Articulator vehicle – are to stay put in protest until something is done to support our cause…we are withdrawing our vehicles from the roads”.