The Ghana Private Road Transport Union (GPRTU), described as the mother union of drivers across the country, on Monday, led a massive demonstration in Accra to protest against what they called the illegal sale and encroachment of lands earmarked for public transport operations in the capital city.
The protest, which drew hundreds of drivers and their affiliates clad in red apparel, nearly brought parts of the city to a standstill.
Chanting and waving placards, the protesters expressed deep frustration at both past and present governments, accusing them of failing to protect lands designated for transport purposes from being sold or repurposed for private developments.
According to the drivers, the continued encroachment on these lands has not only displaced key transport operators, including traders who provide essential support services at terminals, but also disrupted the urban traffic flow.
Many of the displaced traders, the union argues, have been forced onto roadsides and pavements, further compounding Accra’s already congested traffic situation.
In a formal petition presented to the Presidency, through a Deputy Presidential Staffer, Ms. Bridgett Otoo, the GPRTU called on President John Dramani Mahama to urgently intervene and safeguard their livelihoods, which they claim are under severe threat due to these ongoing encroachments.
Meanwhile, in a related demonstration in the Kpone-Katamanso Municipality, hundreds of aggrieved residents took to the streets to protest against what they described as government neglect of basic infrastructure in the area, particularly the deplorable state of the Tema-Aflao (Kpone) Road and the lack of access to potable drinking water.
Organised by the Kpone Okpogli Youth Association, the protest saw residents, drivers and local youth block roads using tires of various sizes while donning red headbands and clothing.
In some areas, tyres were set ablaze, creating an impassable stretch that led to long traffic tailbacks and disruption of vehicular movement.
The protesters claimed the poor condition of the road has led to serious health implications, including miscarriages among pregnant women, and posed a danger to emergency response services in the area.
“Let’s be honest, which part of Ghana has more factories than Kpone?” one protester asked.
“We deserve better. The road is so bad it causes pregnant women to lose their babies. If there’s an emergency in this area, it could be fatal.”
Residents also lamented the lack of safe drinking water, despite the growing population and the area’s importance as one of Ghana’s most industrialised zones.
“There are thousands of people living here, yet we have no access to potable water,” another protester said.
“We’ve raised this issue time and again, but the authorities are not listening. That’s why we decided to demonstrate today.”
The protest was conducted with police notification and approval, although the demonstrators’ intensity and the roadblocks led to scenes that were tense and chaotic at times.
Both protests, though in different parts of the Greater Accra Region, highlight a common theme: growing public dissatisfaction with the state’s response to infrastructure and urban planning challenges, particularly in areas considered economically critical.
The GPRTU and Kpone residents are calling on the government to take decisive action before the situation escalates further, warning that their next line of action may be more disruptive if no concrete steps are taken.
