Taxi drivers would be arrested from Monday

Accra, March. 4, GNA - Mr. Stanley Nii Agyiri Blankson, Chief
Executive of the Accra Metropolitan Authority (AMA) on Sunday said
beginning from Monday March 5, 2007, the eve of independence day, all
taxi drivers operating in the capital without wearing the prescribed
navy blue shirt and blue-black trousers
would be arrested.
He told journalists that the Police Motor Traffic and Transport
Unit (MTTU) had been given instructions
to effect the arrest of all taxi drivers without the prescribed
uniform beginning from independence eve.
"Additionally all those who have not registered for the AMA
numbers to be embossed on their taxis till Monday will pay the full
406,000 cedis as a punitive measure, instead of the subsidized rate of
250,000 cedis," he said.
Mr. Agyiri-Blankson, noted that the AMA had been charged, among
other things to ensure some order in the operations of taxi drivers
who operated in the city, especially during the golden jubilee
anniversary to ensure the safety and comfort of tourist.
"We have tolerated protestations from recalcitrant taxi drivers -
we have explained our position to them enough but they have refused to
heed to the voice of reason. Now we are at our wits end and we have no
other choice but to bring down the law enforcement agencies on them,"
he said.
He said so far about 3,000 taxis had been registered and embossed
with AMA numbers and some drivers had bought the prescribed uniform,
adding that those which had registered but were yet to get their
embossments would be provided with their numbers on Monday at the
subsidized rate.
The AMA Boss said the authority was currently putting finishing
touches to various locations in the city to get the city fully ready
for the anniversary and also said that he had observed that some
public offices were doing same.
Mr. Agyiri-Blankson expressed his best wishes to all Ghanaians
during the golden jubilee celebration and cautioned that, "we should
celebrate in a manner that at the close of day on March 6, we would
have the same number of Ghanaian as we start the day with."
04 March 04