Takoradi, April 01, GNA – The Management of Sekondi-Takoradi Metropolitan Assembly (STMA) and Effia-Kwesimintsim Municipal Assembly (EKMA) have introduced new measures in the public transport sector to observe the social distancing protocol aimed at controlling the COVID-19 pandemic.
The two assemblies reached the decision after careful deliberations with the various transport unions and market associations within their operational areas.
After the meeting, it was agreed that taxis and urban buses that took three passengers on a row shall now take at most two passengers on a row with one passenger in the front seat with immediate effect.
Other commercial vehicles taking four or five passengers on a row shall take not more than three passengers on a row.
Mr. John Laste, the Metropolitan Public Relations Officer in a statement copied the Ghana News Agency said there would however be no changes in lorry fares.
The statement encouraged passengers to as much as possible reduce talking while in commercial vehicles, wash and/or sanitize their hands before boarding and after alighting.
It advised passengers to insist on the new seating directives and report recalcitrant drivers to the Assembly concerned.
The statement directed all bulk trading activities be relocated to the Takoradi Jubilee Park with effect from Wednesday, April 1, 2020 and that no trading activities would be permitted at the inner and outer perimeters of the Market circle.
Traders affected by the exercise at the Market circle have been given a temporal space at the Jubilee Park.
The statement added that all second-hand cloth and shoe dealers have also been relocated to Ekuasi Park at Sekondi while traders selling within the median from Commercial Bank to Star Night have been relocated to Enamasi also in Sekondi.
Similar plans had been instituted for the Kojokrom market.
GNA