Friday, January 7, 2011

MTTU TO ARREST POLICEMEN WHO BREAK TRAFFIC REGULATIONS (MIRROR, PAGE 21, JAN 8, 2011)

From George Ernest Asare, Kumasi

THE Commanding Officer of the Motor Traffic and Transport Unit (MTTU) of the Ghana Police Service, Assistant Commissioner of Police (ACP) Mr Angwubutoge Awuni, has ordered personnel of the Unit to arrest and prosecute all policemen who use unlicensed motor bikes in any part of the country.
“ We are waging war against the use of unlicensed motor bikes and anyone found to be using one should not be spared, even if they are policemen”, he noted.
He also charged the personnel to arrest and prosecute all policemen who fail to use helmets when riding on motorbikes.
Mr Awuni again directed personnel of the MTTU to arrest drivers who use rickety vehicles "even if they have road worthy stickers”.
Explaining, he said: “Rickety vehicles, vehicles with defective tyres, headlights, and bodies have been the cause of rampant accidents in Ghana, claiming precious lives and destroying property with impunity, and we cannot allow them to continue operating and perpetuate mayhem, in the name of using road worthy certificates.”
Addressing District, Municipal and Regional MTTU Commanders from the Ashanti and Brong Ahafo regions in Kumasi as part of his familiarisation visit, Mr Awuni expressed concern about the attitude of police officers “who flout road traffic regulations and turn round to arrest motorists for committing the same offence”.
“Policemen are not above the laws that they have been mandated to enforce,” he noted, explaining, “We cannot condone the action of some of our men who put on attitudes that undermine the image of the profession “.
He pointed out that under police regulations, policemen who display any misconduct in public would be arrested and charged, adding, “So are those who flout any form of road traffic regulations, including the use of unlicensed motor bikes and those who refuse to put on helmets when riding on motor bikes”.
Mr Awuni also expressed concern about the abuse in using unlicensed vehicles in the country, especially saloon cars that carry more than two passengers.
For his part, a Special Assistant for Operational Duties of the Ghana Police Service, AC Yakubu, advised MTTU personnel to be vigilant anytime they mounted road checks.
That, he said, would enable them detect stolen vehicles, arrest and prosecute criminals who use such vehicles to commit crime.

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