Commercial drivers, market women in Takoradi cry over extortion and insecurity

Some aggrieved commercial drivers who ply on the Takoradi – Cape Coast road have lamented the actions of City Guards from the Shama District Assembly and the Sekondi-Takoradi Metropolis (STMA) in the Western Region over a decade of extortions from them.

According to the drivers, the city guards at Ketan Junction takes GH¢ 15 from commercial drivers who go on long journeys to allow them to pick passengers at the unapproved points.

Meanwhile, market women in Sekondi-Takoradi have expressed worry about the situation where the city guards at Shama frequently collect bribes from the market women at Beposo to allow them to trade at unapproved places thereby denying them of their sales.

They also expressed worry about the spate of phone snatching, especially around the Paa Grant Roundabout in the evening and therefore calling on the city authority to beef up security patrol around the area to help reduce the menace.

Mr Collins Appau, one of the aggrieved drivers who spoke in an interview with the igoghana alleged that the police officers on the road who are sent to ensure sanity on the roads also pretend to be checking drivers’ documents but rather take money from the commercial drivers.

For his part, Mr John Quayeson, Vice Chairman of the Takoradi-Sekondi Taxi Station, confirmed that young guys have been engaging themselves in phone snatching activities at the Paa Grant Roundabout.

He intimated that passengers were being attacked at the Monkey Hill area on that stretch of the road either to Sekondi or New Takoradi whenever the traffic situation worsens in the area.

Mr Quayeson cautioned commuters who use the area to be careful with their phones and belongings due to the activities of these phone snatchers, whenever they approached the Paa Grant Roundabout area.

He, therefore, pleaded with the city authority and the security services to provide adequate security in the area, especially during the night.