AMA waits war against truck pushers

The Accra Metropolitan Assembly (AMA) on Saturday extended the ban on activities of truck pushers on some designated streets in the Metropolis to October 1.

This is to afford them enough time to acquaint themselves with the streets where they are not supposed to operate.

The ban expected to be enforced on September 15, was extended after persistent appeals from the Scrap Dealers Association for more time, which compelled the AMA to extend the date.

The AMA will from October 1 begin prosecuting truck pushers who operate on restricted major routes in the Metropolis. In addition, truck pushers are expected to regularise their operations with the AMA by the same deadline.

At a meeting with members of the association in Accra, the AMA agreed to pay for the number plates while the truck pushers pay GH¢12 per annum.

Mr Twumasi Ankrah, AMA Legal Officer, said henceforth trucks without registration numbers would not be allowed to operate in the Metropolis.

Last month, Mr Alfred Okoe Vanderpuije, Accra Mayor at a meeting with members of the association, expressed concern about activities of truck pushers in the Metropolis that were getting out of hand since they posed a danger to motorists and put their own lives at risk. The concern is what informs the Assembly's decision to regulate their operations.

“The new directive has been possible as a result of how the truck pushers have been causing disruptions to normal traffic flow in the city,” the Mayor said.

Some of the ceremonial and major roads the truck pushers are prevented from operating include old Parliament House, 37 Military Hospital, Tetteh Quarshie Interchange and Institute of Professional Studies (IPS).

Other areas are Kojo Thompson Road through Kokomlemle to the Avenor Traffic Light, Independence Square, Accra High Street to Lavender Hill Korle Gonno, La Veterinary Junction, through Danquah Circle, Osu, Kwame Nkrumah and Obestsebi Lamptey Circles and Mortuary Road to Lavender Hill.

The rest are La 'T' Junction through Burma Camp, Kawokudi Traffic Intersection to Dimples in Dzorwulu, Liberation Circle Roads, Nima High way, Oxford Street, Osu, Roman Ridge Roundabout through Roman Catholic Cathedral, Ghana Trades Union Congress (GTUC) to Old Parliament House.

However, they would be permitted to operate within the Central Business District.

According to the AMA, not all roads in the Metropolis will be affected, but roads classified as ceremonial roads require special dispensation with respect to its usage.

Roads around Independence Avenue, Liberation Circle and the Airport are under this category and will be treated as such.