Police cautioned against seizing vehicles

Tema, April 11, GNA- Deputy Commissioner of Police (DCOP) John Kudalor, Tema Regional Police Commander has cautioned personnel of the Motor Traffic and Transport Unit (MTTU), to desist from seizing vehicles and rather arrest defaulting drivers. DCOP Kudalor explained that the act of instructing passengers to alight in the middle of a journey for the vehicle to be escorted to the police station was inhumane.

Addressing a mini durbar of MTTU personnel and commanders from the various stations in the Tema Metropolis, he added that parking those vehicles at the stations creates congestion at the police stations. The durbar, the first of a quarterly series, was to address the Regional Commands concerns on personnel's work as well as to brainstorm and sensitize officers on ways to improve security on the roads. The Tema Regional Commander said the habit of getting passengers stranded in a bid to seize vehicles of defaulting drivers was against the personnel's main responsibility of ensuring the safety of the public and given directions to stranded people. He therefore advised the police to take the particulars of defaulting drivers and allow them to report to the station after the passengers had alighted at their destinations.

DCOP Kudalor however asked them to use their discretions when on duty, suggesting that officials of the Ghana Private Road Transport Union (GPRTU) could be contacted by MTTU personnel to provide vehicle for passengers in the event that the defaulting driver is not in a state to drive. He commended the personnel on the successful motor checks carried out in the metropolis from April 01 to 05 and called on them to desist from rudeness and arrogance in the discharge of their duties.

Assistant Commissioner of Police (ACP) Ransford Ninson, Deputy Tema Regional Commander charged the personnel to continue its traffic management duties, even though the motor checks were over. He said motor checks are carried out periodically while traffic management was a daily affair. ACP Ninson said personnel most often shirk their responsibility of ensuring the free flow of traffic at roundabouts, main roads and places that have faulty traffic lights among others. Personnel at the durbar asked for logistics to help them improve upon their services to the public.