Concerned drivers at a press conference addressed by their National Chairman, William Osei, known as Paa Willie, have expressed appreciation to the Driver and Vehicle Licensing Authority (DVLA) for its initiative to construct a dedicated hospital for drivers.

Speaking at the event, Paa Willie highlighted that the proposed Drivers’ Hospital would help address the unique health challenges drivers face, including stress-related illnesses, fatigue, eye problems, and injuries from road traffic crashes.

He noted that the initiative is comparable to the 37 Military Hospital and the Police Hospital, which serve the healthcare needs of security personnel, adding that drivers also deserve specialised medical care due to the nature of their work.

"If the Chief Executive Nii Quaye has initiated this, then we need to acknowledge President Mahama and the Transport Minister. Even if they tell us to add Ghc1 to our licence and support us, we agree to that, but they shouldn't just say it and leave it like that. With this implementation, the whole drivers' community in the country has accepted it.

"So, when we also fall sick or have any accidents, drivers can... so when something happens to us we can have our freedom, and we don't play with lives," he stated.

The Public Relations Officer (PRO) of the association, Mr David Agboado, asserted that the association has suspended one of its members for short-changing passengers on the Ashaiman–Lapaz route.

According to him, leadership received a report from the Ghana Private Road Transport Union (GPRTU) taskforce regarding the incident. Passengers involved later confirmed that the driver deliberately dropped them short of their destination.

Mr Agboado stated that the driver had been suspended from loading passengers at the Lapaz station, while his membership in the Concerned Drivers Association has been suspended for three weeks.

He emphasised that the association is committed to protecting passengers and ensuring fairness and safety within the transport sector.

Mr Agboado also cautioned other drivers to desist from engaging in such acts, warning that anyone found short-changing passengers will face strict sanctions.

"When he was coming from Nungua, instead of loading from LAPAZ to Spintex, he was loading Coca-Cola. The Taskforce and the coordinating team are all doing their work, so we all know where we station and the numbers to call if we need to get that person arrested.

"He did this while coming from Estate Junction, and before he got to Lapaz, we already had the information. This issue is not only present on the Lapaz road but also in Kasoa and across all areas in Accra. The same applies when you go to Kumasi," he stated.