Ashanti police crack whip on overloading

Police in the Ashanti Region have begun a concerted campaign to tackle overloading of passengers by commercial drivers in an attempt to bring a semblance of sanity in the operations of commercial vehicles in the region.

They have asked owners of commercial vehicles, particularly the Kia Pregio mini buses, to reconstruct their seats to meet the required capacity of 12 passengers (instead of 15 passengers) sitting to avoid arrest and prosecution.

In a statement released to the media and signed by ASP Godwin Ahianyo, spokesperson for the Ashanti Regional Police Command, the Motor Traffic and Transport Department (MTTD) had observed with grave concern the manner in which some commercial drivers in the region carry unapproved number of passengers.

According to the statement, drivers of Kia Pregio mini buses are the worst culprits, loading 15 passengers in clear violation of Regulation 137 of L.I. 2180, thereby causing discomfort to passengers.

‘Restoring discipline’

“As part of efforts to curb this menace and other motor offences, the unit is embarking on an exercise dubbed:  ‘Sanity and Comfort in Commercial Vehicles’ which will lead to the eventual arrest and prosecution of offenders,” the statement indicated.

The police said the action was being taken to improve the current situation, restore discipline and increase community safety to the benefit of residents and commuters.

The law enforcement agency stated that owners of the violating vehicles had two weeks to reconstruct the seating arrangement to ensure compliance or arrest and prosecution.