Regional News of Tuesday, 15 September 2009

Source: GNA

Court ejects "trotro" drivers from Dansoman SSNIT flats area

Accra, Sept. 15, GNA - The Adjabeng District Magistrate's Court on Monday, ordered the Ghana Private Road Transport Union (GPRTU) trotro drivers to stop loading on the streets in the Social Security and National Insurance Trust (SSNIT) flats area with immediate effect. The Judge Justice Patricia Quansah, also ordered the branch Secretary of the Union, Mr Adjetey Adjei to sign a bond of 120 days to be of good behaviour or in default 12 months imprisonment and to relocate the trotro station from the place immediately.

Prosecuting, Mr Peaceton Commodore, of the Accra Metropolitan Assembly (AMA) health department, told the court that Mr Adjetey Adjei and some drivers of the GPRTU have taken over the main road in front of the Opoku Ware Hospital and use it as a "trotro" station. He said following persistent complaints by the residents and the hospital authorities of the activities of the drivers and their mates in the area, health officials, who were dispatched to the area found them to be causing nuisance.

Mr Commodore told the court that their activities cause traffic problems and obstructions, resulting into fighting and quarrelling among drivers, as well as littering and indiscriminate urinating around the area.

He said because of the driver's behaviour, the branch secretary and some drivers were served with a notice, dated August 14, 2009, to relocate the unauthorised "trotro" station from the SSNIT flat area within 14 days, but they failed to comply, hence the summons to appear before the court.