Members of the Joint Association of Port Transport Drivers (JAPTU) have threatened to embark on a sit-down strike from April 14 to 17 over what they describe as unfair regulatory policies introduced by the Ghana Shippers Authority, if the government fails to intervene.
The union, which represents more than 11,000 drivers operating within the port enclave, says the new directives impose additional fees and protocols that contradict existing operational systems they have adhered to over the years without challenges.
According to the drivers, the newly introduced system by the Ghana Shippers Authority disregards established structures under JAPTU and risks disrupting their operations and livelihoods.
National Chairman of the union, Shamsu Babayaro, in an interview with Citi News on Saturday, April 11, called on the government to intervene and direct the Authority to reverse the policy with immediate effect.
“Right now, from the 14th of this month, we are going to do a sit-down strike up to the 17th. But in case the government comes, and they explain things to us, and there is an understanding in the work, we can withdraw the sit-down strike.
“But the charges they are saying we should pay, we won’t pay. The information the Shippers Council is giving us, we didn’t agree. And then the Road Ministry, what they are saying we should do all of it is bogus.
“We don’t understand, and we won’t agree. We are telling them, we won’t agree. So they should come and let’s see what happens,” he said.
Some members of the union also expressed frustration over the development, citing increasing operational burdens and uncertainty within the sector.
They are therefore appealing to the government to call the Ghana Shippers Authority to order and address what they describe as unfair treatment.
“We are telling the government that the re-registration by the Ghana Shippers Authority should be abolished, or they should re-sit with us so that we can look at all the implementations that they are bringing,” one member said.
