With increasing development of societies and a boom in transportation networks, the importance of this sector as a factor for economic and social development cannot be over emphasised.
In simple terms, transportation is crucial in any meaningful undertakings.
The General Transport Union last Monday commenced a nationwide sit-down strike, over what they say is fuelled by high price of fuel and toll fees at the Senegambia Bridge; too many police checkpoints and expensive mandatory fines on the roads as well as driver’s licence expiration.
It is disheartening to note that the attitude of some drivers on the highways leaves much to be desired. Some commuters are forced to pay multiple fares for the same routes, something that always sparks misunderstanding between drivers and commuters in some instances.
What is not right should not be allowed to prevail amid the hard realities in the country.
The Gambia, just like many developing countries, is facing difficult times amid the Russia-Ukraine conflicts and surge of fuel prices at the global market.
The General Transport Union must reason genuinely and contribute towards the development of the nation. Generally, the constant strike by the general transport union members is not telling well about the union. The high cost of pump fuel is a general cross cutting issue.
The complaint regarding the crossing fee at the Senegambia Bridge is just a smear campaign out of sheer greed. The Ministry in a statement indicates that the government has not increased the tariff, but rather maintained the same tariff since its inauguration in 2019.
Therefore, the move by the union is geared towards exploiting the masses to their own advantage.
We therefore commend the Transport Ministry for its firm stance and measures put in place to safeguard the populace.
Similarly, we salute The Gambia Transport Service Company (GTSC) for deploying its fleet of buses across the Greater Banjul Areas and parts of West Coast Region.
The deployment of this new fleet of buses is not only in line with the government’s Transport Policy, but also eases difficulties commuters face daily.
As much as we want to ensure a smooth transport network, the welfare of the masses should be put into consideration.
We all know the monthly earnings of average Gambians. This in fact has forced the Ministry to pilot the route 'licensing model' following numerous complaints by commuters and in eradicating multiple charging on the same route.
Let this remind members of the Union that we all have a stake to contribute positively towards building a nation we can all be proud of. No one will come from outside to develop this country for us.
Together we can make this country a beacon of hope among nations.