Mr. Akwasi Abu Bonsra, the Amansie South Constituency Chairman of the New Patriotic Party has issued a stern warning to the Ashanti Regional Motor Traffic and Transport Department (MTTD) of the Ghana Police Service to discard a proposed “Operation Produce Your Driver’s License” or risk being reported to the President.
He wants the Ashanti Regional Motor Traffic and Transport Department to, as a matter of urgency, withdraw their planned ‘Operation Produce Your Driver’s License” due to take place on February 3, 2020 in the Ashanti Region.
The Ashanti Regional Command of the Motor Traffic and Transport Department headed by Commander Superintendent Emmanuel Adu Boahen on January 16, 2020 announced in a statement that effective February 3, 2020, all drivers in the region would have to produce their license for the officers on duty to inspect among other things its validity insisting that defaulting drivers would be arrested and prosecuted.
But Chairman Abu says the MTTD cannot blame the recent road accidents in the region on the availability or otherwise of drivers’ license adding that there is the need for the Ashanti Regional MTTD Police administration to take a second look at measures in reducing the road accidents rather than inspect licences.
Mr. Akwasi Abu Bonsra told newsmen that the timing of the exercise is wrong while questioning the rationale behind the operation taking place first in the Ashanti Region.
Though the operation is yet to take place, the NPP constituency chairman gave a hint that he would be compelled to petition the Ashanti Regional Chairman of the NPP, Chairman Wontumi, the Inspector General of Police and President Nana Akufo-Addo if the Regional Police administration refuses to heed to his urgent call.
He emphasized that “Nobody is impeding with the operations of the Police in the region but queried why the exercise should come off first in the Ashanti Region in an election year”.
He noted that some police officers could easily take advantage of the situation and embarrass drivers and the government.
The aggrieved party chairman noted that weather is presently cloudy and therefore drivers must be careful while driving especially in the night while the police increase road traffic education adding that driving license has little to do with the major causes of road accidents.
He said “Let me also say that the IGP, NPP Regional Chairman Wontumi and the President himself must hear this as soon as possible to bring the operation to a halt.”
Chairman Abu, however, suggested to the Police administration to focus on ensuring that road signs are placed at accident prone areas on our highways and intensify road patrols and also educate drivers on the cloudy weather conditions in recent times to help reduce the carnage on our roads.
