Gambia Transport Union President
By: Landing Ceesay
The President of Gambia Transport Union (GTU) Omar Ceesay, has on Thursday claimed that the Gambia Police Force issue license to drivers who are not ‘competent’.
“All the accidents in the Gambia 99.9% of it are caused by incompetent drivers, people who are not physically and mentally fit to drive. But yet the Gambia Police Force will issue them license. That’s why when they [police] arrest them, the only thing they charge them is reckless and negligent driving, not incompetent [driving]. Because they are the ones issuing license to incompetent drivers on the roads,” he claimed.
Ceesay said before giving license to someone, the person must go for 9 months training, and should do medical test; but alleged that the police are giving out license without following due processes.
“Driver’s license is very crucial in the lives of every road user. The issuing of Gambian driver’s license fall under the purview of the Gambia Police Force since inception. It is now becoming a concern that drivers having [driver’s] license without undergoing the normal protocols of acquiring [it], and the yearly expiration which among many factors led to road accidents,” GTU President said.
President Ceesay finally called on the government to take away from the police the responsibility of issuing driving license because they certify ineligible applicants.
“The Gambia Government should constitute an independent body that will be responsible for the issuance of the driving license and take it from the police because they are issuing license to people who are not both physically and mentally fit to have it,” GTU President told the journalist at a press conference in Banjul.
The Gambia Transport Union is the body responsible for the control and regulate the public transport affairs of the Gambia.
Efforts by Kerr Fatou to reach the spokesperson of the police for comments were unsuccessful.
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