Faecal truck drivers offload ‘cargo’ on street

Motorists travelling on the Adjiringano-Ashalley Botwe­ road in Accra yesterday went through a harrowing experience when protesting faecal truck drivers decided to empty the contents of their trucks to block a portion of the road.

The drivers were protesting the closing down of a faecal dumping site in the area by the Tema West Municipal Assembly last week.

Residents, pedestrians and other road users had to cover their noses to prevent inhaling the repugnant smell of the faecal matter.

Some residents and motorists, who could not bear the commotion, put in distress calls to the police to save the situation.

Arrest

A police team, led by the head of the operations unit of the Accra Regional Police Command, Assistant Commissioner of Police (ACP) Mr Kwesi Ofori, rounded up 80 drivers while the rest fled the scene.

About 28 trucks, that were used to block the road after discharging their contents, were, also, impounded by the police.

The drivers were, subsequently, taken to the Accra Regional Police Command for further interrogations as of press time.
Indeed, but for yesterday’s downpour, residents would have had to live with the situation for some days.

Briefing

Speaking to the Daily Graphic, Mr Ofori said the assembly, after closing the dumping site, gave the drivers the option of using three other sites which are the Botanical Waste Treatment Plant at Legon, and two others at James Town and Adjen Kotoku “but they decided to flout the directive and took that unlawful action with impunity.”

He described the behaviour of the drivers as inimical to human safety as it could lead to the spread of pathogens in the environment.

“This kind of shit bombing cannot be tolerated in this day and age.

No society will allow the dumping of faecal matter in the open. We cannot allow them to have their way. The police will enforce the law to the letter,” Mr Ofori added.