Kumasi, Nov. 6, GNA - Alhaji Yaw Manu, National Chairman of the Ghana Private Road Transport Union (GPRTU), says the union agrees with government's call on drivers to reduce lorry fares following reduction in fuel prizes.

He, however, said the reduction should be extended to cover other sectors of the economy such as food, income tax, spare parts among other things whose prices were hiked during the period. He was speaking at a Drivers' Assembly organized by the Ashanti Regional Secretariat of the GPRTU for its members in Kumasi on Wednesday.

The assembly was heavily attended and was on the theme "Violence Free election 2008, the Role of a Driver." He said the executive was working on new fares and appealed to drivers not to associate themselves with any political party to bring the image of the union into disrepute.

Alhaji Manu appealed to the National Road Safety Commission to evolve strategies to check armed robbery on the highways. Mr. Yaw Kusi Aborah, Ashanti Regional Director of the National Commission for Civic Education (NCCE), appealed to drivers to report criminal activities involving passengers to the security agencies. Mr. Kwaku Oware Boateng, Ashanti Regional Coordinator of the National Road Safety Commission, said many road accidents occurred during election year and called on the drivers to observe traffic regulations to reduce accidents during and after the elections. Assistant Commissioner of Police Akwasi Duku, the Deputy Ashanti Regional Police Commander, said the police had prepared adequately for the election and those who would try to create anarchy would face the full rigors of the law