128 cars impounded for traffic offences

The Ashanti Regional Police Command has seized 128 commercial vehicles for various road traffic offences.

Thirty-nine of the cars were impounded at Adum, 59 at Suame, and 30 at Asokwa.

The drivers of the cars were arrested during the command's exercise on Thursday, 15 August 2019 dubbed: "Operation to reduce road traffic accidents and operation to make passengers comfortable on public transport".

The exercise follows the regional command's revelation that 1,921 road accidents were recorded in the first six months of this year.

240 deaths and 2,309 injuries were recorded during the same period.

Superintendent Emmanuel Adu Boahen, the Regional Motor Transport and Traffic Directorate (MTTD) Commander told Kumasi FM's Elisha Adarkwah in an interview that the offences of the drivers were "taking a greater number of passengers than what they were supposed to, and failing to provide proper sitting accommodation".

"...But notwithstanding these things (offences), we also have to look at other issues, whether the driver who was driving the vehicle at that point in time was even a licensed driver; if he's a licensed driver, whether he is permitted to drive that particular vehicle and any other related offences that we can find on the vehicle," he added.

Mr Boahen said some of the drivers alleged after their cars were impounded, that they had legal backing to carry 15 rather than 12 passengers.

He said the allegation will be properly investigated, adding that if they are found culpable, they will be arraigned for prosecution.

He said the exercise was going to be sustained to clamp down on recalcitrant drivers.