Passengers in a commercial vehicle
SIXTEEN COMMERCIAL drivers in Kumasi, in the Ashanti region, have been arrested for allegedly charging passengers unapproved fares and other traffic violations.
Their arrest was made possible following a successful security operation, which was carried out by the officials of the Ashanti Regional National Security, the paper is aware.
The timely and important exercise, reportedly, was conducted around Sofoline and Santasi areas, which are among the most populated communities in the Ashanti regional capital.
Sources in the Ashanti Regional National Security said the 16 affected vehicles have been impounded and handed over to the Kumasi Metropolitan Assembly (KMA) for further action.
The source said aside charging exorbitant prices from passengers, some of the affected drivers were also parking at unapproved places, causing congestion on the roads.
“The clampdown was motivated by two main concerns: traffic congestion and illegal fare charges by commercial drivers”, the source, who demanded anonymity, disclosed.
Meanwhile, Dr. Frank Amoakohene, the Ashanti Regional Minister, seemed to have endorsed and lauded the Ashanti Regional National Security for sanitizing the roads in the city.
“Sixteen drivers were arrested yesterday by the national security and cars impounded for extorting passengers by charging illegal fares”, the minister wrote on Facebook.
It would be recalled that reports of commercial drivers charging unapproved and exorbitant fares from passengers were on the ascendancy in Kumasi during Christmas period.
Section of Kumasi residents continuously appealed to the city authorities to take a strict action against the ‘cheating’ drivers so the arrest of the 16 drivers would be applauded.
FROM I.F. Joe Awuah Kumasi