Regional News of Friday, 12 January 2007

Source: GNA

Drinking spots vanish from New Juaben Municipality lorry parks

Koforidua, Jan. 12, GNA - A Ghana News Agency survey has revealed that most drinking spots that were located at lorry parks in the New-Juaben Municipality have been relocated. The survey showed that shops located in the lorry parks that handle alcoholic beverages are distributors who sell the drinks in crates and cartons and not retailers.

It was only at the Koforidua/Accra/Tema Mini Bus Station that a drinking spot was seen operating.

Station chairmen told the GNA in interviews on condition of anonymity that the decision by the Motor Traffic and Transport Unit of the Police Service, the Road Safety Committee and other transport organizations to remove drinking spots from lorry parks in the country had been adhered to.

The chairman of the Koforidua-Accra-Tema Mini Bus Station said though there was still a drinking spot in the area, they check their drivers to ensure that they did not patronize the spot whilst on duty. He lauded the idea of removing drinking spots from the lorry parks because it had helped to check drink driving that often resulted in accidents.

The New Juaben Municipal Chief Executive, Nana Akwasi Adjei-Boateng, said he was not aware that a drinking spot had resurfaced at the Koforidua/Accra/Tema Mini Bus Station and promised to meet the owner of the spot for discussion.

Nana Adjei-Boateng said the assembly was taking steps to address the issue of hawkers taking over the pavements in the municipality.