KMA to crack down on illegal lorry terminal operators

The Kumasi Metropolitan Assembly (KMA) has taken stringent measures to crack down on a group behind the operation of multiple illegal lorry terminals in the metropolis that are creating congestion and discomfort to passengers.

The action was to streamline transport operations and to ensure that vehicles that plied various parts of the country were zoned to help commuters to make easy identification.

A nine-member special committee set up by the Chief Executive Officer of the KMA, Mr Osei Assibey Antwi, has recommended, among other things, that such illegal ‘terminals’ or loading points, including the one at the frontage of the Komfo Anokye Teaching Hospital (KATH) be ejected with immediate effect.

The recommendations also said that selling on the bare floor in front of KATH by some traders could create health hazard and must be stopped immediately.

The committee, headed by one of the assembly members, Nana Kwaku Duah, includes all the major stakeholders and  the Ghana Unified Transport Committee. It asked that drivers who were initially sent to the Nana Afia Kobi Market popularly called Abenkyi, should revert.

Receiving the committee’s report, the KMA boss promised to meet the committee again and the various unions before descending on the illegal transport operators and traders.

The recommendations are in line with the assembly’s efforts to zone the various loading terminals, including moving the Sunyani station, for instance, to Sofoline, Western Region station to Abenkyi among others to decongest the Kejetia area.

Through this plan, Mr Osei Assibey said commuters would be better informed as to where to go for transport rather than combing the entire city for vehicles.

He said the haphazard way of operating the transport system currently caused inconveniences to  passengers, as they had to wait for long periods in vehicles before the vehicles got full for the drivers to move.

The CEO indicated that while waiting for the completion of the Kejetia terminal, other auxiliary ones, including Sofoline, Abenkyi, Adihye Gardens and Race Course would be put in good shape with the provision of basic amenities to make them habitable.