Commercial drivers in Accra have issued a one-week ultimatum to authorities to eject traders who have taken over lorry stations, threatening to take the law into their own hands if nothing is done.
According to the drivers, the activities of traders at major lorry parks and bus stops are making it impossible for transport operations to run smoothly and for the new TrafficTech enforcement system to work.
The drivers, comprising members of the Ghana Private Road Transport Union (GPRTU), Concerned Drivers Association and other transport operators, say traders have converted loading bays, pedestrian walkways and road shoulders into market stalls.
Speaking to journalists, the drivers lamented that passengers now struggle to board vehicles while drivers are forced to load on the roadside, creating heavy traffic and confrontations with city authorities.
“TrafficTech cannot be implemented when traders have taken over our stations. How do you expect us to comply when there is no space to park and load?” one driver lamented.
“Sack all traders from the lorry stations. We are giving authorities one week to act swiftly. If they fail to order the traders to leave, we will sack them by ourselves,” they warned.
They are calling on the Ministry of Local Government, the Accra Metropolitan Assembly (AMA), the Ghana Police Service and the Ministry of Transport to immediately clear traders from all designated lorry stations to avert clashes.
They warned that failure to act within the seven-day window could lead to chaos and disruption of transport services nationwide.