Members of the Joint Association of Port Transport Drivers (JAPTU) have issued a warning of a sit-down strike scheduled from April 14 to 17, citing what they consider to be unjust regulatory policies implemented by the Ghana Shippers Authority, should the government not take action.
The union, representing over 11,000 drivers operating in the port area, asserts that the new directives impose extra fees and protocols that conflict with the established operational systems they have followed for years without issues.
The drivers contend that the recently introduced system by the Ghana Shippers Authority overlooks the established frameworks under JAPTU and poses a threat to their operations and livelihoods.
Shamsu Babayaro, the National Chairman of the union, stated in an interview on Saturday, April 11, that he urges the government to intervene and instruct the Authority to immediately reverse the policy.
“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 have also voiced their frustration regarding the situation, pointing to increasing operational burdens and uncertainty within the industry.
They are thus appealing to the government to hold the Ghana Shippers Authority accountable and address what they perceive 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.
