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Unions call on West African governments to end impasse and free truckers
20 April 2009
The ITF and its affiliated truck drivers’ union in Niger will call on governments attending tomorrow’s West Africa Economic and Monetary Union (WAEMU) meeting in Burkina Faso to help over 250 drivers stranded at the two countries’ border in a dispute about overloading.
The truckers, mostly from Ghana and Togo, have been stuck near the Makalondi Bridge for up to three months, following the introduction of a new regulation. They are being held because the vehicle owners are either refusing to pay fines for overloaded lorries or are paying the fines but refusing to offload the extra cargo. The fines were introduced following the Niger government’s decision to implement a WAEMU regulation on overloading.
The general secretary of the ITF-affiliated Syndicat National des Conducteurs Routiers Voyageurs du Niger (SNCRVN), Hima Barkiré, has voiced concerns over the health and welfare of the drivers, many of whom are forced to sleep under their trucks, and have problems with sanitation and laundry. He commented: “If this situation is not resolved as soon as possible we could face a cholera epidemic similar to what has been experienced at the border with Zimbabwe and South Africa, threatening lives across the entire subregion.”
The SNCRVN and ITF are calling on the Niger Government and the WAEMU Commission to gradually implement the new regulation, with a three month period during which unions, customs and police authorities would raise drivers’ and owners’ awareness of the issue and minimise overloading on departure.
Joe Katende, ITF Africa regional secretary said: “The responsibility for the safe and legal loading of trucks lies with the vehicle owner. To avoid similar situations in future, sub-regional groupings such as the Economic Community of West African States and the WAEMU should engage in regular dialogue with trade unions on transport policy matters.”
From the beginning of this year Niger began to implement WAEMU regulation n˚14/2005/CM/UEMOA on overloading. Overloaded trucks have:
· to pay XOF 60 000 (around US$ 120) per extra ton,
· to offload the extra cargo than should be carried by Niger-registered trucks.
WAEMU (in French Union Economique et Monetaire Ouest Africaine UEMOA) is the organisation of the West African States using the CFA Franc (XOF): Benin, Burkina, Cote d'Ivoire, Guinea Bissau, Mali, Niger, Senegal and Togo.
WAEMU members are meeting in Ouagadougou, Burkina Faso from 21 to 24 April 2009.
ENDS
For more information contact ITF press officer, Sam Dawson.
Direct line: + 44 (0)20 7940 9260.
Email: dawson_sam@itf.org.uk
International Transport Workers' Federation - ITF:
HEAD OFFICE
ITF House, 49 - 60 Borough Road, London SE1 1DS
Tel: + 44 (0) 20 7403 2733
Fax: + 44 (0) 20 7375 7871
Email: mail@itf.org.uk
Web: www.itfglobal.org
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