AMA issues ultimatum to taxi drivers

Accra, July 26, GNA - The police and other security agencies would from August 1, 2007 arrest and prosecute all taxis drivers operating in the Accra Metropolis without embossment of a serial number. This is contained in a communiqu=E9 jointly signed by Mr Stanley Nii Adjiri Blankson, Chief Executive of Accra Metropolitan Assembly and Mr Matthew Hayford, General Secretary of the Ghana Road Transport Coordinating Council (GRTCC).

The communiqu=E9 said as at July 6, 2007, some 1,478 taxis out of a total of 14,050 registered with the AMA were yet to report for embossment.

It therefore asked taxi drivers who were yet to send their cabs for embossment to do so before July 31.

While advising patrons of taxis in the metropolis to take note of the serial numbers embossed on the cabs, the communiqu=E9 said all new taxis would be duly registered.

The communiqu=E9 said the GRTCC would have the responsibility of enforcing compliance of wearing of the prescribed uniform, whose selection and approval were not imposed by the AMA but a decision of the Greater Accra Regional leadership of GPRTU.

It said the wearing of the uniform would improve the image of the industry and also impact positively on the personal hygiene of the taxi drivers.

The communiqu=E9 said taxis from other districts would be permitted to enter Accra, but would not be allowed to operate within the city until they were duly registered and embossed with a serial number.