There is a scary silence about what appears to be a seeming indifference about motor riders’ indiscipline in Accra especially by the Motor Transport and Traffic Department of the Ghana Police Service.
Sometimes we are constrained to think that there is a carte blanche for the commercial riders on our streets as they crisscross cars vehicles sometimes damaging cars and disappearing.
We have been compelled to accept commercial motor riders as part of our transport architecture. We have no choice because any attempt at enforcing the law as it pertains the occupation, politicians, who enacted the statutes in the first place, will be the first to cite “molestation” and human rights infringement.
In Ghana, when issues are shrouded in politics, enforcing them become near impossible.
We recall several attempts at enforcing the law which bans the commercialisation of motorcycle commuting law which was enacted during the NDC regime.
Now that we can no longer enforce the banning law, we can at least compel the riders to obey the existing traffic regulation laws. Failure to do so would render our society a jungle in which the maiming and killing of both pedestrians and patrons of the commercial motorcycle commuting service would be a feature.
When such bikers ignore traffic lights and commit the fundamental traffic regulations such as not facing oncoming vehicles or even riding on pavements which they often do with impunity, we are on the verge of condoning lawlessness in our society.
Last week, the Ghana Police Service issued a release regarding an operation that would compel commercial motor riders to obey road traffic regulations. We received the statement with a sense of relief and skepticism.
We were excited because the department of the police responsible for enforcing traffic regulations has decided to act. It is our hope that they would indeed enforce the law and consistently so.
Our skepticism, on the hand, stems from the possibility that the enforcement exercise would be a nine-day wonder. There have been previous efforts at doing so but midstream garrulous compatriots turn to the radio stations making noise about so-called harassment by the police. Eventually, the exercise gets cold and the indiscipline continues.
Some law enforcement officers also play an unacceptable role in the operations by accepting bribes from such riders.
Why should the patrons of the motorbike commuters look on as the riders ride through red at traffic intersections?
The Greater Accra Regional Minister, Henry Quartey’s bylaw enforcers are about to head for the roads and we do hope that their complementary role would go a long way in ensuring that many more people do not lose their limbs and their lives through the recklessness of motor cycle riders on the busy streets of Accra and elsewhere.
We are going to watch the MTTD cops and at the appropriate time, give our assessment. We wish them God’s speed and pray that they are not stopped by politicians and radio station commentators.