Post by HardTimeTrucker on Jul 26, 2009 7:18:05 GMT -5
457 Transit Trucks Leave Tema Harbour
Friday July 24, 2009
By G. B. Gibbah, Tema
Four hundred and fifty-seven transit trucks left the Tema port for their destinations between last Thursday and Monday under a new arrangement to decongest the port.
The number includes both overloaded trucks and others carrying the required axle loads.
This followed a directive by the Minister of Roads and Highways, Mr. Joe Gidisu, week to the Ghana Highway Authority to suspend the Axle Load Control Regulations from August 17 to 24 to enable overloaded transit trucks to leave the port for their destinations.
The move was part of measures to decongest the port to allow goods to get to Ghana’s neighbouring countries, especially Burkina Faso before the Ramadan festivities.
Each of the overloaded trucks was made to pay a penalty of GH¢300.
The truckers had overloaded their vehicles to maximise profit but had refused to go home because they feared after paying a penalty at Tema Port, they will pay another along the way.
Mr. Gidisu and his Burkina Faso counterpart, Mr. Noel G. Oaedraogo, visited the port last week to see how problems arising from the Axle Load Control Regulation could be resolved.
A visit by the Times to the port on Tuesday showed that the congestion was gradually easing.
Mr. Gordon Anim, Director of the Tema Port, said 155 transit trucks left the port for the transit park that day for final processing of documents after which they would be provided with transit stickers to embark on their journey.
He said three weigh bridges in the port had been repaired while fourth one located near the central gate was under repairs and will soon be functional.
Mr. Anim explained that due to the malfunctioning of that weigh bridges, the empty trucks visiting the Tema Port for the first time could not be taken there
An alternative arrangement had been made for such trucks at the Afienya weigh bridge.
A number of the transporters the Times spoke to welcomed the directive by the Minister.
Basule Konare, a driver, said five of his colleagues who got stranded at the port for the past two weeks had finally left for home.
He explained that the delay was due to fear that after paying for a penalty for overloading at the port they would be made to pay another penalty in Kumasi.
Basule said that with the new arrangement ongoing, he hoped that some of the drivers and consignees who left for other ports like Lome will return to Tema.
He thanked Mr. Onedraogo and Mr. Gidisu for intervening to help them out of the situation.
Friday July 24, 2009
By G. B. Gibbah, Tema
Four hundred and fifty-seven transit trucks left the Tema port for their destinations between last Thursday and Monday under a new arrangement to decongest the port.
The number includes both overloaded trucks and others carrying the required axle loads.
This followed a directive by the Minister of Roads and Highways, Mr. Joe Gidisu, week to the Ghana Highway Authority to suspend the Axle Load Control Regulations from August 17 to 24 to enable overloaded transit trucks to leave the port for their destinations.
The move was part of measures to decongest the port to allow goods to get to Ghana’s neighbouring countries, especially Burkina Faso before the Ramadan festivities.
Each of the overloaded trucks was made to pay a penalty of GH¢300.
The truckers had overloaded their vehicles to maximise profit but had refused to go home because they feared after paying a penalty at Tema Port, they will pay another along the way.
Mr. Gidisu and his Burkina Faso counterpart, Mr. Noel G. Oaedraogo, visited the port last week to see how problems arising from the Axle Load Control Regulation could be resolved.
A visit by the Times to the port on Tuesday showed that the congestion was gradually easing.
Mr. Gordon Anim, Director of the Tema Port, said 155 transit trucks left the port for the transit park that day for final processing of documents after which they would be provided with transit stickers to embark on their journey.
He said three weigh bridges in the port had been repaired while fourth one located near the central gate was under repairs and will soon be functional.
Mr. Anim explained that due to the malfunctioning of that weigh bridges, the empty trucks visiting the Tema Port for the first time could not be taken there
An alternative arrangement had been made for such trucks at the Afienya weigh bridge.
A number of the transporters the Times spoke to welcomed the directive by the Minister.
Basule Konare, a driver, said five of his colleagues who got stranded at the port for the past two weeks had finally left for home.
He explained that the delay was due to fear that after paying for a penalty for overloading at the port they would be made to pay another penalty in Kumasi.
Basule said that with the new arrangement ongoing, he hoped that some of the drivers and consignees who left for other ports like Lome will return to Tema.
He thanked Mr. Onedraogo and Mr. Gidisu for intervening to help them out of the situation.