Naa Bettey Nelson
19 August 2008
Despite the efforts of the Ghana Police Service in checking of vehicle drivers, who illegally park by the roadsides, some recalcitrant drivers, especially in some parts of Accra, still park their vehicles thoughtlessly on the streets of Accra.
These drivers do not even bother or care about the way and manner they park their vehicles.
Some drivers, especially commercial mini bus drivers (Trotro drivers), stop right in the middle of the road, to pick up passengers. This creates traffic holdups, and is a nuisance to other rood users, especially private cars.
This has been one of the major problems hampering driving on most streets in Accra, and more especially on the Achimota-Abeka-Lapaz road
At the scene of an about two and half hour traffic jam, the Accra File realised that the traffic situation at that spot was being caused by trotro drivers.
Most of these drivers move their vehicles from the main lorry stations, to the edge of the road where they stop to pick passengers going in their direction.
They tend to stay where they stop till their vehicles are fully loaded, before they move on. Some even stop just under traffic lights and when it turns red, they begin picking passengers.
They stay there till they are fully loaded with passengers, even when the traffic light turns green, indicating that they must move.
These drivers are fully aware of the consequences of their activities, but rather hurl insults and taunts on other drivers, who are caught up in the situation, and dare to complain about their presence and inconvenience they are creating.
On a visit by the Accra File to asses the situation, it was noticed that most of these drivers, do not want to load their passengers at the lorry station created for them.
In an interview with some drivers, who ran their business on the Abenka-Lapaz to Kwame Nkrumah Circle road, on why they had refused to go pick passengers the allocated station, they said there were so many vehicles, who ran the same routes and they would have to join a long queue, during which much time would be wasted, as compared to when picking passengers along the roadsides.
Some also said the station masters claim moneys from them, when they go to the stations to load their passengers.
On why the station masters collected the moneys, they said the masters claimed they were using it to buy machines and hire labourers to clean up the stations, and as well buy some gravel to fill potholes at the station.
But up to date, the station looks the same as before. "No Change, No Improvement" they added.
So they found it difficult to pay, and do not to think of going to load their vehicles over there.
Others also say that when they go to the stations, due to the long queues, they are not able to achieve the expected sales.
With all these, there is the need for the police to intervene in such situations, to control this act, or better off deal with such drivers, who cause these problems.
Also the Police Post at Abeka-Lapaz, should collaborate with the Tesano police, to stop this bad behaviour of these drivers.
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