GPRTU Hands Vehicle Inspection to Station Masters to Boost Road Safety
GPRTU member Eric Lantey Lamptey says station masters now inspect all vehicles before they operate from GPRTU stations
The Ghana Private Road Transport Union has given station masters the duty to inspect every commercial vehicle before it can carry passengers.
Eric Lantey Lamptey, who speaks for the union’s communications team, made this known on Joy Prime’s Prime Morning programme during a special segment on the Road Safety Crisis. He explained that no vehicle may leave any GPRTU station without first being checked by the station master. The inspection looks at the tyres, brakes, lights and overall condition of the vehicle and includes a short test drive to see how the vehicle performs on the road.
According to Mr Lamptey, the GPRTU has a decentralized system but one that is strict about safety. The move is meant to work alongside the Driver and Vehicle Licensing Authority by making sure only roadworthy vehicles use GPRTU stations.
The comments were made as Ghana still records many road accidents and various groups are urging stronger enforcement of safety rules. The recent Prime Dialogue, themed “Road Safety Crisis: Who is responsible?” examined the part that drivers, transport unions, the police and regulators must play.
Mr Lamptey said the GPRTU’s step at the station level is only one part of a larger effort and that every driver, passenger and state agency must also act to keep the roads safe.
