Pregio Drivers Abandon Job Due to MTTU's New Law Implemetation

Pregio drivers in the Ashanti Region have raised concern on how they are been affected by the Motor Transport and Traffic Unit (MTTU) of the Ghana Police Service laws in Kumasi to avail space in their cars for passenger's safety.

The MTTU in the Ashanti Region last week admonished Pregio ‘trotro’ drivers to make space in their vehicles by getting rid of a seat out of the four to make passengers feel comforted. The laws have been effected and drivers are not content about their daily productivity.

Soiree News paid a visit to the Tafo Station where Pregio ‘trotro’ drivers poured out their response about the decision of the Motor Transport and Traffic Unit. Speaking to the stationmaster of Tafo 4 Miles, Mr. Seth Nyarko, he described the decision as ‘not favoring drivers’ therefore the Union (Ghana Private Road and Transport Union) wants to organize a demonstration for the drivers to express their opinions.

“The Union have decided to meet the various stakeholders of the transport work and speak with them if the rules can be regressed. Majority of the drivers have quit the job due to the lesser sales made. I have parked my car because the law is not favoring at all”

“When the Police make an arrest, its either you pay C400 or they’ll process you for court. Majority of the drivers have not changed their seats yet they are working. The law is very effective at places where the border and police barriers are,” he added.

“Import duties on cars are very expensive making it hard for us to cope with the job so when issues like this affect us, living get harder and harder for us. License procession, car maintenance are all at fixed prices therefore when the decision does not go in our favor, we always run at a loss as drivers,” Mr. Seth ended.

Stephen Banieh, a Pregio driver denied the assertion that the cars when imported have three seats therefore the drivers adjust an extra seat for the sake of sales.

“It’s never true. We bought our car on home use base without seats. We fixed four seats and have later reverted it to three per the new rules by the MTTU,” he said.

He disclosed that the reverting of seats into three has affected their sales output although the amount derived from them by car owners’ has declined yet they are affected due to the rate of fuel consumption of the Pregio car.

Mr. Isaac Afful, also a driver from Tafo to Ejisu apportioned the blame on the Driver Vehicle License Authority (DVLA) for not guiding the drivers in the process of registration than to wait for such a time to impound the laws on them.

“The truth is that, on the form A for the registration, the car is revealed with three therefore if we (drivers) in the course of registration have four seats fastened wthin, why do the DVLA take a blind eye and publish the registration for us. They should guide us when something is not right,” he said.

Passengers refused to comment on the issue and though it was for their sakes that the law was effected, yet remarking the decision was a challenge by the news crew.

With the Pregio trade been deserted by most of the drivers at the Tafo 4 miles station, the car according to research will soon dissolve from the system due to its high fuel consumption rate and low earnings it brings to drivers and car owners.