Kumasi, May 31, GNA - The Kumasi Metropolitan Assembly (KMA) in collaboration with a private company known as "Twenty-Four Hour Towing and Recovery Services" is to embark on the towing of cars and vehicles in the Kumasi metropolis with effect from June 1, this year. Mr Thomas Yentumi, Managing Director of the company, who announced this at a meeting organised by the Ashanti Regional Road Safety Committee in Kumasi on Tuesday, said the measure formed part of the KMA's decongestion exercise, to make the city clean. The meeting attended by stakeholders including the Police and members of the various transport unions, was aimed at discussing measures to improve the transportation system.

He said vehicles and cars that would block premises, park in pedestrian walks, park in motorist lane and park at 'no parking' indicated areas would be towed to a site at the Centre for National Culture the metropolis.

Mr Yentumi said such offenders would be asked to pay specific fines to help ensure enforcement of motor traffic rules and regulation. Chief Superintendent Augustine Gyening, Ashanti Regional Chairman of the Road Safety Committee, announced that the Region recorded 606 accident cases during the first quarter of the year, out of which 69 people died.

He attributed the major cause of accidents to driving above the speed limit as a result of the good nature of some of the roads and appealed to all stakeholders to help reduce the problem to the barest minimum.

Chief Superintendent Gyening, who is also the Ashanti Regional Commander of the Motor Traffic and Transport Unit of the Police Service, expressed concern about the increasing armed robbery on the roads and urged drivers to assist the police in tracking down such robbers. Mrs Dzifa Kwakukume, Deputy Area Manager of the State Insurance Company (SIC) in Kumasi, advised drivers and transport owners to always insure their cars and vehicles.

Mr Benjamin Smith, Traffic Engineer of the Department of Urban Roads, said efforts were being made by the Department to provide road signs and fill potholes so as to reduce the spate of accidents. Mr Atta Boafo, Transport Officer of the KMA who presided, appealed to all stakeholders to support the KMA's decongestion exercise.