Regional News of Tuesday, 26 May 2009

Source: GNA

Taxi Drivers in Suhum threatened to demonstrate against the police

Suhum (E/R) May 26, GNA - Taxi drivers applying Suhum-Akorabo, Suhum-Nankese, Suhum-Amanase and Suhum-Kwano roads had threaten to go on demonstration against the police, who continue to harass them and extorted huge sums of money from them without pointing out the no offence committed.

Speaking to the Ghana News Agency, spokesperson for the drivers, Daniel Kofi Abankwa said everyday three different groups of police personnel come to harass the drivers and extort monies from them. He said the first group from the Suhum Police Unit come onto the road at 6am to 10am and the second group from Kibi Division from 10:30am to 12pm and the third group from Koforidua come from 1:30pm to 4pm. Mr Abankwa said these police personnel mount road block at Amenhyia on the Suhum-Koforidua road and extort between GH A25.00 and GH A22.00 from the drivers without pointing to any offence committed. He said any driver who failed to pay the money, had his vehicle documents seized by the police personnel and asked to report to the police station for collection.

Mr Abankwa said when the drivers go to collect their documents, the police first place them in cells and later contact their vehicle owners to report to the police station and they extort between GH A250.00 and GH A230.00 from them before releasing the drivers from the cells. He said as a result of this situation, some of the vehicle owners collect their vehicle from the drivers rendering them unemployed.