For awhile now, some motor riders have transformed what was supposed to be for private use into a commercial use, commonly known as "Okada" business, which authorities believe is a threat to the safety of people. It is in the wake of this call that the MTTU yesterday swooped on some motor riders on the street of Mallam-Kasoa arresting 20 unauthorized motor riders and according to the MTTU, these offenders would be arraigned before court.
Following up on this recent incident, Xfm asked the Head of Research and Education of the Motor Traffic and Transport Unit, ASP Alexander Obeng, the drive behind the unit's sudden pounce on the illicit motor riders.
According to him, the unit's abrupt operation was not solely targeted at the motor riders who are rendering services on a commercial basis but the attempt was to oust all motor operators who were “un-roadworthy” and were shirking the rules set to check the improper usage of roads in the country.
The MTTU Head of Research and Education elaborated that the action that took place yesterday brought to light certain offences that have been overlooked several times such as motor riders who operate without the required license, the unwillingness of the riders to slip on their helmets, the use of unregistered motorcycles on the road among others.
ASP Alexander Obeng revealed on Xfm's morning show Big bite that even though a bunch of the riders were operating privately, what effected their arrest was the absence of the roadworthy Certificate and license to use the motorcycles on the roads.
Citing Regulation 57 of LI 953, he said that this law prohibits motor riders from commercializing their services and called on the escapees of the swoop to take cue from yesterday's incident. He also admonished private motor operators to comply with the rules and regulations set by MTTU to govern the motorcycles which ply the roads in the country.
"Ghanaians who want to use motorcycles for private purposes should also ensure that they comply with the road law by having their required license A to ride motorcycles and that when they get the motorcycles, they should register with a required number plate and [that] when they mount the motorcycles; they should put on their crash helmet. And before they move too, they should ensure that the vehicle or the motorcycle is roadworthy and would have had motor insurance covering you, and then you should not run rear light and run on the pedestrian walkway.", he advised.
He said failure to conform to the specified road instructions would call for stringent actions which would be meted out to the culprits. He assertively quoted that the ban on the use of motorcycles for commercial purposes took effect in retrospect, during 1974, hence forbidding anybody from perpetuating such offence.
He issued a word of caution to people who patronize those commercial motor bikes saying, when caught, they would be prosecuted under the criminal law Section 20 for abetment of crime.
ASP Obeng of the MTTU indicated that the use of motor bikes on our roads together with other vehicles poses a danger to the safety of Ghanaians and therefore appealed to the appropriate quarters to construct alternative roads to curb the congestion on the roads.
Story by Ameyaw Adu Gyamfi/Xfm 95.1/Accra/Ghana
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