Police compete for space with abandoned vehicles

Accra, Aug. 10, GNA - Personnel of Ghana Police Service are competing for space with huge number of vehicles "abandoned" at police stations across the Accra Metropolis, the Ghana News Agency inspection team found out on Tuesday.

accident vehicles and motor cycles scattered at the various Police Stations in Accra.

At the Airport Police Station, GNA counted about 100 vehicles both private and commercial, at Nima Police Station about 50 vehicles have been parked indiscriminately while the Tesano Police Station has over 40 vehicles and scores of motor cycles chaotically parked.

Other Police Stations visited include Osu, La, Odorkor, Kotobabi, and Korle Bu.

Police personnel at the various stations expressed concern about the increasing number of vehicles at the stations and said it had become homes for rodents, snakes other dangerous animals as well as breeding grounds for mosquitoes.

"What we fear most is the life of our children who at times stray into these vehicles to play," a Senior Police Officer at Tesano told the GNA.

relatives of deceased owners due to the traumatic experience.

Some relatives of deceased vehicle owners think that moving the vehicle home would serve as constant reminder of the loss of dear ones while some of the people who survived the accident also don't want to have anything to do with the vehicle

In an interview with GNA Assistant Superintendent of Police Mr Alexander K. Obeng, in-charge of Education, Research and Training Unit, at the National Motor Transport and Traffic Unit, explained that some of the vehicles were exhibit for pending cases in court or under investigations.

He said apart from accident vehicles, other vehicles parked at the various police stations included impounded ones, hit-and-run vehicles, stolen vehicles which were used in committing crimes and stolen vehicles retrieved but owners could not be traced.

Mr Obeng said some of the vehicles were also used in transporting smuggled goods. "When the drivers of such vehicles come face-to-face with our men, most run away leaving the vehicles behind".

He said Legislative Instrument 704 mandated the Police Authority to dispose of all vehicles which had remained at various Police Stations un-attended to for two months.

LI 704 (b) "mandates the Police Service to dispose of properties which has remained in its possession for a period of two months through public auction ordered by a Superior Police Officer or an auctioneer or other person appointed by such officer in writing for that purpose."

He said the Police would soon initiate measures to dispose of all vehicles in accordance with the LI 704 and called on owners of vehicles parked at any Police Station throughout the country to contact Officers-in-Charge of such stations for the necessary discussion.