Police arrest stubborn motorists
The Ashanti Regional Police Motor Traffic Transport Unit (MTTU), led by the Deputy Regional Commander, ACP Kwasi Mensah Duku, last week Friday, rounded up 116 private and commercial vehicles on the Kumasi-Offinso road, for flouting various motor traffic regulations.
The offences ranged from driving without license, overloading of vehicles contrary to Regulation 40 of RTR LI 952, 1974; obscured number plate, contrary to section 44 Act 682, 2004; driving without license, contrary to section 53 of Act 761 2008 and overspeeding, to insecure containers carried on flat body vehicles, contrary to Regulation 15 of LI. 952, 1974 among others.
Since October 2010, when the exercise began, about 411 motorists have been prosecuted for similar offences.
The exercise has become necessary in view of the high spate of road accidents, and its resultant fatalities, and the police believe that the situation is as a result of indiscipline on the roads.
ACP Duku advised police personnel to act professionally whilst on the road, and eschew acts that are likely to drag the name of the service into disrepute.
He cautioned that any officer who failed to enforce the law, as required, would have disciplinary action instituted against him/her, and charged the police personnel to make their presence felt on the roads, by ensuring that drivers abide by Road Traffic Regulations, as it is the duty of the police to protect life and property.
He noted that the Command was poised to eunsue sanity on the roads, and maintained that the conduct of police personnel on the road was key to the realisation of this objective.
ACP Duku admonished motorists to desist from acts that constitute indiscipline, and ensure that they abide by the dictates of the road traffic regulations.
He said the police do not take delight in arresting and prosecuting motorists, but only as a means of law enforcement, adding that it was necessary for motorists to be law-abiding, and should not only do the right thing only when the police personnel are around.
He noted that the exercise would not be a nine-day wonder, and that police would demonstrate that they were poised to check the carnage on the roads, and entreated motorists to assist in the endeavour.