By Daniel Bampoe
Tensions are rising across Ghana’s transport sector as major commercial driver unions threaten a nationwide strike over the unchecked proliferation of hawkers on pedestrian walkways on major roads.
The unions, including the Ghana Private Road Transport Union (GPRTU), Concerned Drivers Association of Ghana, and the True Drivers Union, are calling for immediate action from authorities to restore order and enforce existing traffic regulations.
At a press conference in Accra on May 13, the drivers expressed deep frustration over what they described as years of government inaction and disregard for road safety laws.
Their concerns focus specifically on Section 17 of the Road Traffic Regulations Act, 2012 (LI 2180), which explicitly prohibits the sale or display of goods on roads, intersections, and pedestrian paths.
Despite this law, hawkers continue to dominate these spaces in cities across the country.
According to the drivers, the hawking menace is especially rampant in central business districts, where vendors occupy large portions of pedestrian walkways, forcing passengers and drivers alike to navigate through chaotic and hazardous conditions.
This, they say, not only endangers lives but also impedes traffic flow and compromises the efficiency of public transport operations.
Samuel Amoah, Deputy Public Relations Officer of the GPRTU, questioned why the various Metropolitan, Municipal, and District Assemblies (MMDAs) as well as the Ministries of Roads and Transport, and the Interior Ministry, have failed to enforce the law despite the clear dangers posed by the situation.
“We cannot continue to operate in this lawless environment. If the authorities won’t act, we will. This strike is our last resort,” Amoah declared.
The unions have set Monday, May 19, 2025, as the deadline for government intervention.
Should hawkers remain on walkways and roadsides by that date, the unions say they will initiate a coordinated strike beginning in Accra and gradually extending it to other regions, including Kumasi, Bono, and eventually all 16 regions of Ghana.
The National Public Relations Officer of the Concerned Drivers Association confirmed the scale of the planned protest, stating: “This isn’t just a one-day action. We are going region by region until our demands are met. We won’t return to work until the hawkers are cleared.”
This latest development follows a series of growing tensions between drivers and city authorities in recent years.
Previous complaints by drivers regarding road congestion, poor traffic enforcement, and unsafe infrastructure have largely gone unheeded.
Analysts say this long-standing neglect has emboldened roadside traders and weakened confidence in local governance structures.
While hawking provides a livelihood for many informal traders, the increasing encroachment on public road infrastructure continues to pit economic survival against public safety.
Experts warn that failure to find a balanced solution could plunge the country’s transport system into further chaos.
As the May 19 deadline approaches, all eyes are now on the Ministry of Roads and Highways and the MMDAs to see whether concrete steps will be taken to address the grievances of the transport unions or risk a shutdown that could paralyze mobility and economic activity nationwide.
