The transport workers' strike continues to paralyze parts of the country, amid high tensions between unions and authorities. Alioune Badara Coulibaly, spokesperson for the APR party, strongly condemned the situation, denouncing the "contempt shown by political power" towards the crucial issues facing the sector.

According to him, transport is a fundamental pillar of economic development, the true backbone of national logistics.

"Are our public authorities aware that transport is a fundamental pillar of economic development, acting as a backbone of logistics by linking producers to consumers? Do they understand that this activity stimulates growth? That it creates jobs, facilitates trade and opens up remote areas? It is for all these reasons that an efficient transport system becomes crucial for a country's productivity and competitiveness," he said, regretting that the authorities do not fully grasp its importance.

He was quick to point out that last weekend, after several hours of discussions at the Ministry of Land and Air Transport, no compromise was reached with the Federation of Road Transport Unions of Senegal.

The main grievances include: irregular transport, the ban on night traffic, the regulation of minibuses known as "Cheikhou Chérifou", road harassment, and failure to respect commitments on reducing controls.

These are all points which, according to the carriers, have not been seriously examined.

For Alioune Badara Coulibaly, this crisis is part of a broader context of economic gloom. He points to the government's inability to provide concrete solutions, despite the expectations raised after the change of power.

"Contrary to their promises on this issue, the ruling duo is conspicuous by their inability to tackle the obstacles in their path. They are losing sight of the fact that a sector like transport is a strategic lever whose proper functioning and efficiency strengthen a nation's power. Its shortcomings, as has been observed in recent days, remain a major obstacle to economic development," denounces Mr. Coulibaly.

The spokesperson also mentioned a growing "disenchantment" between the people and the government, particularly after the promises made by Pastef. According to him, the systemic transformation project expected by the Senegalese people "exists in name only," fueling profound disappointment.

"The Senegalese had believed in the promises. They hoped to quickly reap the fruits of the struggle alongside Pastef. That is why the embarrassment is even greater when intellectuals, students, street vendors, farmers and ordinary citizens discover that the 'Porozet' of systemic transformation for which they had crusaded against Macky Sall and his regime, at the cost of many human lives, exists only in name. Immense disappointment!", the spokesperson taunts.

According to the APR spokesperson, the determination of the transporters testifies to the seriousness of their demands.

"To return to the transporters, red with anger due to a lack of attention and consideration from the political authorities, we must remember that they are first and foremost entrepreneurs, in charge of a public service mission. A day without activity represents significant losses in financial resources. If they have reached the point where they don't care, it is because the demands that the government is struggling to satisfy are of particular interest to them. God knows that if there is a regime that should be quick to respond favorably to the needs of workers, regardless of their socio-professional category, it is that of Pastef," he said.

He also points out a contradiction which he considers striking: the highest authorities of the State, including the president, the prime minister and the minister of Transport, all have a trade union background.

"They used to defend workers firmly. Today, they show indifference to the grievances of transporters," he notes bitterly.

Khady Ndoye