General News of Wednesday, 15 October 2008

Source: GNA

FTU appeals to Parliament to pass Transport Policy Bill

Accra, Oct. 15, GNA - The Federation of Transport Union (FTU) of the Ghana Trades Union Congress (TUC) has appealed to Parliament to quicken discussions on the draft Transport Policy Bill to facilitate its passage into law. Mr E. A. Mensah, Coordinator of the Federation said it would assist in guiding operators and stakeholders in the transport industry to bring sanity.

He called on the ECOWAS Secretariat to collaborate with the International Transport Federation (ITF) in the West African Sub-region to ensure the smooth operation of protocols that guided road transport in the various national frontiers. Mr Mensah was speaking at the ongoing 28th Road Transport Action Week, organized by the FTU.

It has the theme; "Organizing Globally, Building Union Power, Undue Delays at our Frontiers, Correcting the Indiscipline on our Roads and Minimizing HIV/AIDS among Road Transport Workers". Mr Mensah attributed road accidents to drivers who ignored road traffic regulations, adding "there is the need to bring into the fold of the union, drivers who do not belong to it so that they would benefit from educational programmes aimed at bringing discipline on the roads". He commended the International Transport Workers Federation based in London for working in collaboration with the Transport Sector of the World Bank to ensure development in the transport industry.