More than 250 vehicle drivers are being prosecuted for violating road traffic regulations within the past two weeks.
The number include 31 drivers who were arrested yesterday at the Under Bridge Intersection on the Spintex Road in Accra and 40, apprehended last week for similar offences at Dawhenya, Tema.
The arrest and prosecution followed the deployment of motor traffic and accident monitoring and surveillance Centre by the Motor Traffic and Transport Department (MTTD) of the Ghana Police Service.
Operationalised two weeks ago, the Centre is fed with real-time videos by security cameras installed at various intersections across the country.
The centre is fitted with large screens with personnel monitoring for any breaches of road traffic regulations.
It monitors 24 hours and seven days all activities of road users and traffic situations across the country which are captured in video and still pictures.
At a brief tour of the Centre for media personnel in Accra yesterday, Superintendent Dr Samuel Sasu-Mensah, Director at the MTTD, said, the Centre was to compliment the efforts of the police in enforcing road traffic regulations and help in curbing road carnage.
He noted that increasing recalcitrant attitude of drivers and motorists was mostly responsible for the upsurge in traffic accident on major roads and intersections.
The Centre, he said, has enabled the MTTD to gather evidences required to prosecute road offenders and ensure discipline on the roads.
“Now it is possible for us to capture and tender in evidence to prosecute road traffic offenders across the country.
We work in collaboration with the Driver and Vehicle Licensing Authority (DVLA) to provide us with details of vehicles captured in the video to be used for prosecution,” Supt Dr Sasu-Mensah stated.
The police, according to Acting Director General of Public Affairs Directorate of the Ghana Police Service, Assistant Commissioner of Police (ACP) Kwesi Ofori, would adopt naming and shaming of offenders as well as prosecution as part of its enforcement exercise.
As a flagship project of the new police administration led by the Acting Inspector General of Police (IGP), Dr George Akuffo Dampare, he stated that, the police have intensified prosecution to deter others from violating the road traffic laws.
“We want the public to be disciplined on the roads in addition to helping us fight robbery and thieves. Our police response team is on hand to respond to any calls for action,” he added.
On the announced police recruitment exercise, he warned the public against paying monies to middlemen to help them to be enlisted.
“The police have not engaged any middleman to bring people to be recruited. You pay money to such unscrupulous persons at your own risk.
We have not given any code to a private person to help in the recruitment. Don’t allow yourself to be swindled. Follow the laid down procedures announced in the daily newspapers,” he added.
ACP Ofori called on the public to arrest such fraudsters and report them to the nearest police station.
BY CLAUDE NYARKO ADAMS
