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By Assan Sallah
Executive members of the Gambia National Transport Union (GNTU) are currently meeting with the Vice President Dr Isatou Touray and other government officials at the State House in Banjul. The GNTU top brass were since in the morning invited to a meeting at the State House to discuss the drivers’ strike, amid the State of Public Emergency (SoPE) regulations.
Top officials within the government circle confirmed that the meeting at the State House involves the GNTU executive, Ministries of Trade and Transport, the National Security Council and others senior Government officials concerned.
“Currently, discussions are ongoing, and the meeting started since in the morning,” said one of the officials who spoke to The Digest News.
The industrial action taken by the GNTU came following several demands made to protect their interests, which the Gambia Government especially the Ministry of Transport ignored. The drivers have begun a nationwide strike and few commercial vehicles are plying the roads, mostly Taxi vehicles. Commuters are left stranded on the roads since in the morning and this has affected a lot of businesses.
Among the immediate request made by the Gambia National Transport Union is to for Government to lift the restriction on passenger capacity from 50 percent as per the SoPE regulations, to full capacity. Equally, the transport union promised to ensure that the drivers will respect the safety measures during the coronavirus pandemic by ensuring that every customer wears a facemask and use the hand sanitizers before boarding the commercial transport.
Another medium or long term request made the transport union is that Government should ensure that every region has a car park, like in Essau, Soma, Farafenni, Basse,etc.
The Gambia Government particularly the Ministry of Transport has not yet responded to these demands, resulting to the sit-down strike which begins today, 22nd June 2020.
The drivers had argued that if government has lifted restrictions on Markets, Churches and Mosques, amid the SoPE regulations, then why not the transport vehicles?
However, the Government should look at these demands a holistic way and provide solutions by intervening. The drivers too need to be bailed out. It is expected that the outcome of the meeting will be fruitful.
The Digest News contacted the president of the Gambia National Transport Union Omar Ceesay, but he was at the meeting and could not grant an interview until after their discussion.