Kumasi, May 03, GNA - Twenty-eight people died while many others sustained injuries through road accidents in the Ashanti Region within the last two weeks.

There is also a rising incidence of knockdowns of pedestrians as a result of reckless driving.

Deputy Superintendent of Police James Sarfo Peprah, the Ashanti Regional Commander of the Police Motor Traffic and Transport Unit (MTTU), said this at a meeting with members of the Association of Liberal Transport Operators (ALTOPS) in Kumasi. About 350 members of the union from the Ashanti, Brong Ahafo and Central regions attended the meeting.

Mr Peprah said about 90 million cedis were realized through court fines involving about 45 drivers and that the exercise would continue till sanity prevailed in the metropolis.

He expressed concern about the use of taxicabs for armed robbery and other criminal activities and urged the drivers to be vigilant and wary of people who patronized their services.

Mr Peprah appealed to the Kumasi Metropolitan Assembly (KMA) to speed up its street parking project to ease vehicular congestion in the city. The drivers expressed concern about inadequate stopping spots, high daily sales demanded by vehicle owners and sophisticated nature of armed robbery.

Nana Owusu Bempah, the National Chairman of the ALTOPS, said no member had so far been involved in accident this year and attributed this to members' discipline.