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ACCRA: Ghana Police Service Commissions Motor Traffic & Accident Monitoring & Surveillance Center
The Ghana Police Service have today commissioned a Motor Traffic and Accident Monitoring and Surveillance Center at the Joint Operation Center (JOC) inside its headquarters in Accra.
According to the Police, the newly established center is expected to assist police personnel conduct real-time assessments of road traffic offenses, accidents, and other related issues.
Addressing Journalists at the commissioning, the Director-General of the MTTD, DCOP Francis Aboagye Nyarko said "This is a flagship programme of the Inspector-General of Police, Dr. George Akuffo Dampare. We are here to let you know that we have such a monumental project within the Police enclave. This project is to make sure that indiscipline is totally reduced to the bearest minimum on our roads"
He further explained that the project will also ensure that the carnage, the country is experiencing on its roads are also dealt with.
DCOP Aboagye Nyarko stressed that the project will help the MTTU Department to monitor indiscipline on the various roads across the country.
The Director-General of the MTTD said "The essence of this project is that it captures all road network within the country. When an offense is committed, it is immediately detected and the jurisdiction in which that offense was conducted is notified and immediately the person is apprehended. It is going to help us clear the roads of miscreants who have decided not to comply with the road traffic acts"
He, however, warned drivers who ply the country's roads to adhere to all roads directives to avoid falling victim to petty offenses.
"The Surveillance Centre is so monumental in such a way that whatever you do on the road, that goes contrary to the road traffic regulations, you will be arrested"
He revealed that about 40 vehicles were impounded at Aflao in the Volta Region stressing that 20 were arraigned before court on Monday adding that the remaining 20 are currently in court.
He noted that the offenders were fined GHc960 each.
On his part, Superintendent of Police responsible for traffic law enforcement,training ,research at the Motor Traffic and Transport Department, Dr. Samuel Sasu-Mensah said "This system is in place because day-in and day-out, we witness an upsurge of traffic accidents on our major roads and highways and our major intersections. The cracks of the issues are that drivers are becoming increasingly dangerous, increasingly reculcetrant whiles using our roots"
He attributed that to the spate of increasing numbers of various road accidents and congestion.
"Lastweek, we realised that 19 people died as a result of infractions on the roads and as a police institution, we cannot let it go, unattended to. So it is against this backdrop that the IGP has developed this system to make sure that we downsize the problem"
SP Dr. Sasu-Mensah revealed that within two weeks, the Police Service has been able to spot about two hundred vehicles according to the new project.
He stressed that the Police Service does not need the services of an officer on the road before it enforces traffic rules and regulations.
"We are as at now going to use this system to make sure that as and when people flout the rules and regulations, are arested and prosecuted. The system at 6am this morning, arrested 31 vehicles at the East Legon tunnel. They are all being processed at the law court"
The General Supervisor of the Traffic and Accident Monitoring and Surveillance Center, Chief Inspector, Joseph Zano disclosed that the cameras used for the project are far advanced adding that its special security features makes capturing of information on vehicles very easy.
"As soon as someone commits an offence, the agents at the surveillance centre takes a snapshot of the offender, looking at the car-made, registration number and the colour. Haven taken the shots, it goes ahead to take a video of the offender's car so this could be tendered in as evidence at the law court"
Thinknewsonline.com has gathered that the Motor Traffic and Transport Department (MTTD) of the Ghana Police Service and Citi TV has embarked on the ‘War Against Indiscipline (WAI) campaign to curb indiscipline among motorists on the roads.
Below are some pictures:
Story by: Joshua Kwabena Smith