TAXI DIRVERS AND AMA UNIFORMS

ONCE again the issue of taxi drivers in Accra wearing uniforms has come to the fore. A press release issued 10 months ago by the Public Relations Unit of the Accra Metropolitan Assembly (AMA) and carried in the January 25, 2007 issue of the DAILY GRAPHIC said that with effect from February 1, 2007, all taxi drivers in the Accra metropolis were required to wear uniforms described as “sea blue shirts and dark blue trousers”.
The press release added that “at a meeting held at the AMA head office on Thursday, January 18, 2007, the executives and representatives of the GPRTU, PROTOA and Co-operative Transport Union came to the agreement with the Accra Metropolitan Chief Executive, Mr Stanley Nii Adjiri Blankson”.
One would have thought that since the AMA representatives came to an agreement with the “executives and representatives” of the major transport unions on the wearing of uniforms by taxi drivers in Accra, the issue was a fait accompli.
But this does not appear to be the case. information reaching us indicates that many taxi drivers are not prepared to wear the prescribed AMA uniforms, citing cost as one of the reasons.
The Ghana Police Service has entered the picture and the taxi drivers have been given up to December 15, 2007 to comply with the AMA directive or be prepared to pay a fine of GH¢200 (¢2 million) or serve a six-month’ prison sentence. Since the issue has now assumed a new dimension, we advise that all concerned should do everything possible to avoid a confrontation.
Actually the idea of taxi drivers wearing uniforms is not new. Back in 1965, in connection with the first Organisation of African Unity (OAU) summit in Accra, the office of President Nkrumah issued a directive that all commercial drivers wear uniforms. That, it was believed, would enhance their appearance, since they would be the first line of contact with visiting delegates to the summit.
The directive was implemented and the uniforms, indeed, enhanced the appearance of commercial drivers, including taxi drivers. However, the exercise was short-lived.
The Assistant Commissioner of Police, Daniel Avorga, in charge of the Motor Traffic and Transport Union (MTTU) is reported to have said: “When drivers are in uniform, it enhances cohesion, discipline, quick identification and makes their control very easy.”
As we see it, education is key to the successful implementation of the AMA directive. How, for example, is the wearing of uniforms related to ‘enhancing cohesion, discipline, quick identification’ and thus ‘making control very easy’?
The onus of education principally is on the AMA, for until the taxi drivers are convinced that the reasons being assigned by the AMA are cogent they may not see the need to spend money on uniforms.
The taxi drivers have but a fortnight to comply with the AMA directive or face the might of the police. The Accra metropolis has its own share of problems and a confrontation with the police is one we cannot afford. Besides we want visitors to Ghana 2008 to find Accra a city at peace with itself.
Since time for the expiration of the ultimatum is short, could a compromise be sought? The crux of the matter is that the taxi driver should be well dressed and looking smart, and thus make a good impression. Could this goal not be achieved if a taxi driver is allowed to choose what he wants to wear as long as it is decent?
We make this point on the strength of the report that the AMA Chief Executive had accepted the suggestion that “the drivers be allowed to put on ‘African wear’ on Fridays,” an admission that a uniform is not crucial to appearing smart.
After all, a taxi driver may be in the prescribed uniform, but it may be dirty, not well ironed, or he may even be in bathroom slippers (“Charlie Wote”). Would this scenario be accepted by the AMA and, by extension, the police?
Our appeal is that this matter be handled by all concerned in such a way that we do not create problems where, in fact, there are no problems. We need a disciplined corps of taxi drivers who will help in the efforts to re-brand Ghana as the gateway to Africa, particularly during Ghana 2008.