Ashanti MTTU arrests unregistered vehicles

Kumasi, July 31, GNA- The Ashanti Regional Police of the MTTU has embarked on an exercise to arrest all unlicensed vehicles and motorbikes in the Region in an attempt to reduce the use of such vehicles in criminal activities. Subsequently, the Police on Monday arrested 40 of such cars and 33 motorbikes in an operation in the Kumasi metropolis. 250 police personnel from Accra were dispatched to Kumasi to assist their colleagues in the operation.

Deputy Superintendent of Police (DSP) James Sarfo Peprah, Ashanti Regional Motor Traffic and Transport Union (MTTU) Commander who made this known at a press briefing in Kumasi on Tuesday, said 15 owners of such vehicles have been processed and arraigned with charges. The charges range from excessive number of persons in unregistered vehicles, failing to register vehicle after the expiry of concession dates, failing to produce insurance certificates as well as riding without license and helmet. DSP Peprah emphasized that the use of DV trading plates had a limited period and number of persons such vehicles could take. He said that the use of cars with DV number plates have become fashionable especially at funerals, church activities among others, but indicated that, such practice was against the road traffic regulations.

Mr. Sarfo Peprah maintained that using such vehicles was wrong since criminal activities such as the snatching of mobile phones, bags and others have sometimes been conducted with such vehicles. The MTTU Commander said public education by the road safety commission, the Public Affairs Unit of the Police and MTTU, on the need for car owners to properly register their vehicles, had not been heeded to, hence the operation to rid the system of all unregistered vehicles and motorbikes. He stressed that the exercise would continue till the practice was curbed.