Stranded Ghanaian Truck Driver Cries Out As Burkina Faso Enforces Strict Transport Rules at Border

• A Ghanaian driver has pleaded with the government after a 16.5-metre trailer limit was enforced at Burkina Faso's border
• He disclosed that many Ghanaian trucks were stuck while heading to Mali via their neighbour and faced hefty CFA fines
• The truck driver called for urgent intervention, saying that the law had created a logistical and financial crisis for drivers

A supposedly stranded Ghanaian truck driver has made an urgent appeal to the government concerning a crisis that allegedly left his colleagues stranded at the Burkina Faso border.

The Ghanaian truck driver, in a video on X, cried out for intervention from the Ministry of Transport after he was left stranded at the country's border in Dakola.

His outcry comes from a new directive implemented by Captain Ibrahim Traoré's administration that requires all long vehicles entering the country not to exceed a length of 16.5 metres.

Ghanaian truck driver stranded in Burkina Faso

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YEN.com.gh understands that the directive was issued by the Burkina Faso government to reduce axle overloading and protect road infrastructure. This new directive made many truck drivers modify their trailers to comply with the regulation.

However, the Ghanaian truck driver, with vehicles of over 18 metres, expressed his frustration as he claimed he was being forced to pay a hefty fine of 500,000 CFA francs (approximately GH₵12,500) to be allowed passage.

The driver further explained the dilemma this had created for truck drivers. Many of them, he claimed, were not travelling to Burkina Faso per se, but were en route to Mali, which has a more lenient requirement of 17 metres.

Unfortunately, because they were required to transit through Ghana's neighbour to reach Mali, they are being unfairly penalised by the stricter Burkinabe law.

He highlighted the financial strain and logistical nightmare the implementation had caused. The video of his outcry showed a long line of Ghanaian trucks stuck at the border, unable to proceed with their journeys.

He pleaded for diplomatic intervention from the Ghanaian government to resolve the issue and allow them to continue their work without facing these prohibitive fines.

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Watch his outcry in the video below:

Reactions to truck driver stuck at border

YEN.com.gh has collected reactions below from Ghanaians who watched his appeal to the Ghanaian government on X.

@Jerome4360 questioned:

"Why then do we allow even longer and wider trailers from Burkina to enter Ghana?"

@bedzirah said:

"He thought they could pay a bribe like in some countries I know in Africa."

@ValeEyram wrote:

"Nonsense. He should follow the order. He thinks the lawless behaviour they have been doing in this country will be tolerated there."

@JayBee554 commented:

"Abide by their transport rules over there or park your car."

@aybami10 said:

"PanAfrican dream state blocking intra-African trade… lol the non-stopping L’s on the continent keep piling up."

Long-truck secures heavy containers with dog chains

YEN.com.gh had earlier reported that a truck driver was caught at Free Zones for using only dog chains to secure large containers.

Some concerned citizens filmed the incident, warning of the deadly consequences of the truck driver's careless action.

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According to the citizens, the truck had earlier passed a Free Zones checkpoint without penalties, causing many netizens to react.

Proofreading by Bruce Douglas, copy editor at YEN.com.gh.

Source: YEN.com.gh