Heavy-duty truck drivers who ply major roads at night will from Saturday February 10, 2011 be arrested and prosecuted, the police have said.
This is line with the re-imposition of a ban by the Inspector General of Police Paul Tawiah Quaye to be implemented by the Police Motor Traffic and Transport Unit (MTTU).
It is the second time the ban has been imposed in three weeks. The police had suspended the implementation of the directive after protests by some truck drivers and criticisms by some stakeholders who complained they were not consulted before the directive was issued.
But in an interview with Joy News, Police Public Relations Superintendent Kwesi Ofori confirmed that the 6:00pm-6:00am ban for truck drivers is now in force. “The police administration has directed all the regional, divisional, district and unit commanders to enforce the law. “We have a legal backing in this direction and looking at the rate of accidents in the night it is so overwhelming and we need to take [some] of these [strategies],” he told Joy News’ cyrus DeGraft Johnson.
He said drivers who flout the law will face the full rigours of the law.
He said the police will intensify patrols and increase snap checks to ensure strict enforcement. “Should the law be flouted the police may use tools like arrest and prosecution. It is aimed at protecting life and property. “It is not a punishment for the transport owners. It is not to create difficulties for the drivers but they must know that it is in their own interest,” he said.