By Laudia Anyorkor Nunoo, GNA
Tema, May 26, GNA — The Joint Association of Port Transport Unions (JAPTU) Ghana has called for broader stakeholder engagement on the implementation of axle load regulations under the ECOWAS harmonised transport framework.
Mr Ibrahim Musa, Executive Secretary of JAPTU Ghana, said the union recently suspended a planned sit-down strike after receiving assurances from the Ghana Shippers Authority over concerns relating to proposed haulage registration and axle load enforcement measures.
Speaking on a media form powered by the Ghana Ports and Harbours Authority (GPHA), he said the association had raised concerns over plans to register hauliers under the new Ghana Shippers Authority Act 1120 at a fee.
He said the authorities later clarified that the registration would apply to incorporated haulage service providers rather than individual transport operators.
Mr Musa explained that the second issue related to proposed axle load enforcement measures by the Ministry of Roads and Highways, which JAPTU believed required broader consultations before implementation.
According to him, the union supports measures aimed at preventing overloading and protecting road infrastructure but insists that transport operators must be adequately engaged in the policy process.
“We also have ideas to share. This is not about somebody having a whip and thinking you have the mandate, so you are going to harass us. We have to do this together,” he stated.
Mr Musa noted that JAPTU comprises 16 transport associations and unions, including operators from Burkina Faso, Mali, and Niger, with additional interest from transport groups in Nigeria and Côte d’Ivoire.
He stressed that stronger stakeholder collaboration was necessary to ensure successful implementation of ECOWAS axle load regulations while safeguarding livelihoods within the transport sector.
GNA
Kenneth Odeng Adade
Reporter: Laudia Anyorkor Nunoo