Editorial
Rickety ‘trotro’ operations …a danger to passengers
● A rickety trotro
Moving from one destination to the other requires a means of transportation and since everyone cannot afford a car or a motorcycle, they choose to use public transport such as taxis and buses, especially ‘trotro’.
The trotro carries an average of 15 to 20 people depending on the type of bus and it is quite cheaper and convenient as compared with other means of public transport. The trotro can be very uncomfortable, especially when it is over loaded, but that is what most Ghanaians prefer and they don’t mind being squeezed in the bus.
Although trotro is the preferred means of transport, it is sometimes not safe to use, especially those which are rusty, old and faulty.
As passengers suffer such plights, road users also get their fair share of the cake. Most trotros have their exhaust pipes trailing with thick smoke, thus polluting the environment and endangering road users, especially those who drive right behind them.
Road users are normally advised to have their cars checked if they are road worthy, and it is of no doubt that these cars have not been checked, and even if they have the certificates issued to them, they are either expired or illegal. The police must, therefore, make conscious efforts to check these rickety vehicles. There must be a way to stop these faulty trotros from plying our roads.
Josephine Nyorkor Ntreh.
Student, Ghana Institute of Journalism (GIJ).
Dear Editor,
I wish to use this esteemed platform to urge the traditional councils of Osu and La to call for independent investigation into the recent demolition exercise at Kaajaano.
The exercise rendered hundreds homeless.
Information about the reason for the demolition has been scanty with those desiring to know feeding heavily on social media posts.
One particular name –Jato, has been associated with it but under whose instruction the exercise was carried is also not known.
Sadly, instead of getting to know who ordered the demolition and for what reasons, traditional authorities of Osu and La have been embroiled in a tug-of-war over ownership of the said land.
This is premature. At this moment, they should call for investigation into the exercise to know the people behind it.
When that is done, then discussions about the owners of the site can begin. That would end the posture of the two neighbouring town which has the potential to turn into something else.
Ataa Osa Mensah,
Osu
Dear Editor,
I wish to use your respected platform to draw the attention of the Bank of Ghana (BoG) to the behaviour of traders and some drivers about the use of lower denomination coins, specifically the 20 and 10 pesewas.
About two weeks ago, I read in your sister newspaper, The Ghanaian Times about this problem and the caution that followed from the BoG and some economic analysts.
The warning they gave was that the continuous rejection of the notes could create pricing problems which can eventually affect inflation.
I thought that would put to bed that practice or refusal to accept the coins when given out as change or use to pay for particular service.
Unfortunately, the problem still persist among traders, drivers, customers and passengers alike. Only last week, there was as altercation in the Accra Central area where a woman refused to accept five 20 pesewas note totaling one cedi.
As the argument continued, the trader decided not to sell to the customer again after by-standers explained to her that it was still a legal tender and those that refused it could become offenders.
This is an issue the BoG and other regulatory agencies must go and explain to the people and let them know that it is unlawful not to accept a currency that is still in use.
It nothing was done, it could create a much more serious problems.
Mary Osei Badu,
Swedru
