Acting IGP, James Oppong Boanuh
The Kasoa Motor Transport and Traffic Department (MTTD) Police Commander, DSP William Okyere Abissah, has stated that the main challenge his outfit faces in Kasoa is the undisciplined manner in which taxi drivers in the area operate on a daily basis, making their duty very difficult.
He explained that the Awutu-Senya East Municipal Assembly has opened a big modern lorry station at Kasoa, which all taxi drivers are supposed to use, but a large number of them who regard themselves as floating drivers have refused to join any driver union to enable them operate at the station. These drivers rather prefer to load along the roadside, which is narrow and busy.
The Kasoa MTTD Commander stated these when he briefed The Chronicle on the state of transportation in Kasoa, one of the fastest growing towns in the country.
DSP Abissah continued that because the roadside is not a lorry park, the police would ensure that both trotro (mini bus) and taxi drivers who still park and load along the Kasoa roads are arrested and sent to court.
The Commander averred that more often, the Kasoa MTTD is accused of harassing commercial drivers on the roads, but he explained that it was those drivers who are stubborn and park and load at unauthorised areas along the road that are checked, and would continue to be arrested if they do not change from their bad ways.
He urged the transport unions, especially the Ghana Private Road Transport Union (GPRTU), which has so many members, to talk to the stubborn taxi drivers to obey road regulations and to do the right things.
He continued that no police personnel would harass a driver if they load at the station and drop passengers at bus stops and leave there quickly.
He said it is wrong to wear slippers to drive because it is slippery, and its use by a driver can cause an accident. The MTTD Commander hinted that another problem the police have with drivers is that their educational background is low, and they cannot read the road safety regulations and laws to understand how to work lawfully.
Touching on alcohol, he noted that it had caused a lot of harm to many drivers and passengers, so these days the MTTD is very strict on cases of drunk drivers.
DSP Abissah further noted that so many drivers take the seat belt for granted and fail to use it, stressing that it can save lives in times of danger, so all drivers should do well to use it.
On bribery, the Commander said it takes two to engage in the canker, stressing that when drivers are caught by the police, they should not offer bribes to be freed, and also advised the police not to demand any money to free culprits, but rather process them for court as soon as they arrest them.
The Commander also urged traders who operate along the Kasoa main roads to stop the practice to allow the free flow of traffic and discipline in the municipality.
The Commander noted that street hawkers usually operate in the night, explaining that it is risky because many people in Kasoa work in Accra.
He noted that there are many stores and malls at the Kasoa new market, so those traders and hawkers who still operate along the roads should rather go to the new market to sell.
