Drivers caught bribing Tema Police

Some commercial vehicle drivers plying the Tema-Aflao highway were on Thursday caught by the law as they failed in their attempt to bribe some officers from the Tema Motor Traffic and Transport Unit (MTTU).

The officers who were on a special operation at Dawa in the Ningo-Prampram District were offered between GH¢ 1 and GH¢ 10.00 for motor offences ranging from driving with fake and underweight licenses, fake insurance stickers and lack of maintenance of their vehicles.

Bright Ekpeh, one of such drivers who was in-charge of a fuel tanker offered one of the officials GH¢ 10.00 hidden in a waybill when he was stopped and his license demanded for scrutiny.

Ekpeh who was wearing a white singlet over a khaki trouser with slippers, was driving with two fake licenses bearing the same name, but different signatures and dates of birth.

At the end of the three hours exercise, 25 drivers of commercial, private, tipper trucks and trailers were processed for court.

Passengers were however not happy with the exercise as they were stranded for hours as no vehicle was arranged by the police to convey them to their destinations.

Superintendent Oduro Amening, Tema Regional MTTU Commander, briefing the media before the exercise, said it was the aim of the Unit to reduce the spate of accident in the region and that the periodic checks which were started two years ago would be intensified to achieve that aim.

He said his outfit was quite aware that drivers often signal their colleagues of the presence of officials on the road and thereby help them escape apprehension.

The Tema MTTU Commander reminded passengers that it was their duty to ensuring that their drivers desisted from committing traffic offences including overloading, over speeding, driving on the shoulders of the road among others.