Drivers in Yilo Krobo Municipality says they have shifted their attention from their normal driving business into farming due to economic hardship they are going through, following the outbreak of covid-19.
As part of measures to mitigate spread of the novel coronavirus, President Akuffo-Addo, has directed that the number of passengers are reduced by one on each seat for a successful social distancing protocol, to minimize the risk of infection in public transport.
Speaking to Drive Alive host Edwin Kofi Larbi last Friday on Rite FM, one of the drivers, Mr. Peter Oman, “most of our sprinter drivers have turned farmers because there were no passengers on the road.”
He hinted that, the produce from the farm will serve as food for the family.
Mr Peter Oman who, asserted that Eastern Region is close to the Greater Accra and that people commute in these areas to do business noted with disdain that the partial lockdown, is affecting travels greatly, leading to poor sales on the part of drivers.
“Drivers no longer get passengers and loads to Accra, we no longer get our usual daily sales and so we are facing economic hardship,” he added.
On his part, Mr. Padi Felix, a Kpong to Somanya trotro taxi driver based in Lower Manya decried saying, covid-19 has reduced his usual daily sales since he no longer get passengers.
“People are no more interested in travelling. I roam the whole day and get less sales for the day, excluding fuel. My usual daily sales have reduced drastically’’.
Padi Felix who claimed drivers experience no positive impact since the pandemic, called for immediate assistance to safe their jobs and marriages.
Ghana so far has recorded 4,700 positive cases, 494 recoveries and 22 deaths.
Source: Sylvester Tetteh/ritefmonline.org
