The Ghana Private Road Transport Union, GPRTU says it will be practically impossible to take two passengers on a seat.
Talks about a possible lockdown has sent shivers down the spine of the transport operators who have begun discussing among themselves on how they would cope if a second lockdown comes into effect.
In March when the country went on a lockdown, transport owners were forced to reduce the number of passengers’ intake on a seat. 207 buses took three passengers per seat whiles the Mini Bus or Urvan took two passenger per roll.Speaking on the Community Connect Show on 3FM 92.7, National Chairman of the GPRTU, Nana Nimako Bresiamah said.
“If you used bus to convey people taking two it won’t work… At first the bus was taken four passengers on every roll but we have already reduced to three for you to tell me that even Pragia of all is taking three at the back nobody is complaining why should Urvan, Nissan bus take two, taxi is taking two is this not chicken? So we feel if we take three it will be okay,”he stressed.
When host of the show Johnnie Hughes probed further about his claims Pragia operators take three passengers, Nana Nimakoh responded
“This is common. Everybody knows Pragia take three at the back, it doesn’t take two; even at times it takes three at the back and ‘ joss’ one at the front making the driver and the passengers four. It is all over the country,” he defended their action.
According to the GPRTU, transport fares means workers will agitate and they want to align with the government so they would continue to take three passengers on a seat.