Regional News of Wednesday, 25 March 2009

Source: GNA

Agona West Municipal Assembly lifts ban on drivers' taskforce

Agona Swedru, March 25, GNA - The Agona West Municipal Assembly has lifted the ban on the local taskforce, formed by the transport unions in the Swedru Municipality, Mr Eric Bediako Oppong, Acting Municipal Chief Executive, told the Ghana News Agency. He said the lifting of the ban followed an emergency Municipal Security Council meeting (MUSEC), held with the executives of the Ghana Private Road Transport Union (GPRTU) and the Progress Transport Owners Association (PROTOA) at Swedru, last Thursday. The meeting was in response to the three days ultimatum given by the two unions to the Assembly to lift the ban or have their members move from the three lorry parks in the Agona Swedru Municipality to operate along the road.

The Unions had complained that when the ban was placed on its taskforce, most drivers refused to load at the lorry parks and that made it difficult for them to earn their needed revenue. Mr Oppong, who is also the Municipal Coordinating Director, advised the taskforce to desist from levying offending drivers but have them prosecuted at the courts. He said the Council had decided to engage eight police officers to work with the 16 member-taskforce of the unions to ensure sanity in their operations.