Police collect 123 million cedis from offending drivers

Bolgatanga, July 11, GNA- The Motor Traffic and Transport Unit (MTTU) of the Ghana Police Service in the Upper East Region has for the past six months, bagged about 123 million cedis from fines imposed on traffic offenders.

It prosecuted 536 drivers who flouted road traffic regulations especially within Bolgatanga and its environs as well as offenders from the other districts between January and June.

The Regional Police Commander, Mr. Bernard Dery, told the Ghana News Agency (GNA) on Friday, that the offences included overloading of vehicles at unauthorised places, abandoning broken down vehicles on roads, use of defective tyres and breaks, spilling of petroleum products on roads and improper maintenance of vehicles.

He said the police in the region was adhering to directives from the Inspector-General of Police (IGP) circular to regional and divisional commanders to enforce traffic regulations.

Mr Dery expressed regret that his region was determined to curb accidents and his colleagues in the southern sector, especially those at Tema, from where most of the vehicles transport loads to the northern sector would do the same.

He said the asphalt road from Kintampo to the Paga border was deteriorating because of heavy and overloaded vehicles. ''The road, which has a life span of 15 years, is already showing signs of deterioration.''

''If stringent measures are not taken to prevent further deterioration, especially the 220-kilometer Tamale-Paga portion, by strictly enforcing the traffic regulations the government will be compelled to spend large sums of money for rehabilitation works.