The Assistant Secretary General of West Coast Transport Association, Pa Modou Njie has said today’s strike against fare reduction was fueled by lack of national transport union in the country.
“We do not have a transport union in the Gambia,” Assistant Secretary General Pa Modou Njie said.
Pa Modou Njie said there is no national Transport Union after it was banned by the former government of Yahya Jammeh. He explained that the ban has caused fractions among members resulting to small groups without any umbrella body. He argued that none of these groups represent the general welfare of the drivers.
Assistant Secretary General Njie complained about the alleged meeting with the Minister of Transport to reduce the fares as they were not consulted but it was only a fraction that attended the said meeting. He said some people have taken advantage of the liberal market policy to register themselves in the name of unions but do not represent the general welfare of drivers. He added that they are not in contact with all the drivers in the country.
“No one tells the drivers to strike against the fare reduction. They are acting on their own,” he asserted.
Njie has confirmed the reductions on the fuel prices under the new government which he agreed should reflect on the fares.
The Ministry of Transport after consultation with transport guys came up with tariffs to reduce transport fares in the country which has created disturbances among the commercial drivers in the Greater Banjul, Kombo and provincial areas. Some young drivers and apprentices went to the extent of trying to stop commercial transports out of traffic. There were concerns raised by the general public about the behaviours of the drivers.
Meanwhile, the police have reportedly arrested some of the people creating disturbances on the road as traffic starts to move as usual.
