Residents of Adenta, a suburb of Accra, were yesterday morning held to ransom as angry protesting youth clashed with trotro (commercial) drivers over the latter's refusal to comply with a police directive to reduce the number of passengers on a seat from four to three.
The clash, which resulted in the trotro drivers withdrawing their services for over two hours, began when officers of the Motor Traffic and Transport Unit (MTTU) division of the Ghana Police Service began impounding their vehicles for failing to obey the directive.
The situation almost got nasty when some of the drivers who defied the directive were met with stiff resistance from some Adenta youth who insisted that the directive was carried out on grounds that the trotro drivers have been exploiting passengers for too long.
The youth, armed with clubs, stones, cutlasses and some metal bars, went on the rampage, stopping vehicles that were Circle/ Accra, Achimota, Lapaz and New Town bound that had four passengers on a seat to de-board them.
Chronicle gathered that the drivers' refusal to comply with the directive stems from the fact that the directive was as they put it "unfair".
They told Chronicle that whilst their counterparts plying the long distance routes take three passengers per seat and are made to charge an extra fare to account for the fourth passenger(s), they are, however, to reduce the number of passengers without a corresponding increment.
They also argued that based on the amounts required from them by the car owners, it makes it impossible for them to comply with the directive. Besides, there are other expenditures which include the booking fee of ? 7,000 per day, income tax of ?2,500 per week and lorry toll of ?700 daily, which they complained is burdensome.
This episode made it impossible for workers, traders and students among others to stand waiting by the road, with the hope that the drivers would rescind their decision.
Some drivers who spoke to the Chronicle accused some police officers of collecting bribes from them to the tune of about ? 50,000, ?70,000 and ?100,000 to appease them for failing to comply with the directive.
However, the timely intervention of some officials from the Ghana Private Road Transport Union (GPRTU) and personnel from the MTTU was able to save the situation when they addressed a cross-section of the drivers at the lorry park.
The Commander of the MTTU, Mr. Victor Tandor pleaded with the drivers to resume work, whilst their leaders dealt with the issue.
He said the police should not be blamed on such a directive, since the licensing department is the body charged with the determination of the number of passengers each vehicle is supposed to take, adding that the police's duty is to enforce the law.
He pointed out that whilst the drivers want their version of the issue to be addressed they should also take into account the importance of the law being enforced.
Commander Tandor also warned drivers to refrain from giving officers money because the giving and receiving processes are all offences.
On his part, the branch chairman and the regional second trustee, Mr. Emmanuel Kwakuvi asked the drivers to resume work whilst they leave the matter with their various leaderships for redress.
Meanwhile, as at the time Chronicle was leaving the scene the drivers had resolved to work.
