Time for you to sit up - MTTU boss

Accra, June 18, GNA - ACP. Julius Avorgah, Commander of the Motor Traffic and Transport Unit of the Ghana Police Service, on Wednesday called on heads of the various transport unions to discharge their duties properly. "It is time for you to sit up and do what is expected of you, paying no attention to members who say they would vote you out for doing the right thing," he said when he met representatives of the various transport unions in Accra to deliberate on issues concerning the two groups.

He said it was the duty of the heads to educate their members on the various traffic laws and offences. The meeting, which will also take place in all the regions, is a directive from the Inspector-General of Police (IGP) that seeks to address the problems between drivers and the police in recent times. ACP. Avorgah said Section 122 of the Road Act gave the police the mandate to arrest road offenders without a warrant. Sub section 2 of that Act gave the public a mandate to arrest drivers who were driving carelessly on the road.

He also added that a new bill would soon be introduced which will mandate all drivers to be part of a Union for easy identification and also give spot fines to those who committed traffic offences. ACP Avorgah announced that very soon, the police would start arresting drivers who did not have first aid box, fire extinguishers, warning triangles and cars with DV and DP number plates which, he said, were used in a number of car robberies in the city. The transport union members thanked the police for organising the programme, which gave them an opportunity to address their concerns. They, however, contended that the police should pardon them in certain instances since some of the offences they committed were not deliberate. 18 June 08