Truck drivers damn operations at Afienya Axle Weigh Checkpoint

Story: Mary Mensah
THE Tema-Accra Tipper Drivers Mother Union has called on the authorities to have a second look at operations at the Axle Weigh Checkpoint at Afienya or they will advise themselves.
It said all appeals to the Minister of Roads and Highways to intervene to ensure that justice and fairness prevailed at the checkpoint for all parties involved had gone unheaded.
Addressing the media and members of the association after calling off an intended demonstration in Accra yesterday, the Chairman of the association, Mr Anthony Mensah Agbemehia, said the group had decided to give the Greater Accra Regional Police Commander, DCOP Patrick Timbilla, some time to intervene in the matter.
He said at a meeting with the police commander for permission to embark on a peaceful demonstration to press home their demand, DCOP Timbilla asked the association to give him some time to try to reach the minister and resolve the issue amicably without resorting to a demonstration.
According to Mr Agbemehia, the Tema-Accra mother union sincerely believed in DCOP Timbilla and trusted him as a leader and for that “we will never compromise in any way”.
He, therefore, called on the members of the association not to be discouraged by what Mr Boye Quaynor, an official of the Axle Weigh Checkpoint, had said about the video evidence when he concluded that after watching the video critically he saw nothing criminal in it.
“May be Mr Quaynor had forgotten and I would like to use this medium to remind him of the Highway Heavyduty Truck Drivers guideline that says: ‘Trucks that are above 3.5 tonnes are to be subjected to axle weigh check.’ Does Mr Quaynor know this guideline,” he asked.
 Mr Agbemehia said the appropriate step for him to take would be to petition the Highway director or the minister to terminate the contract of Semgess Limited to save Mother Ghana.
He told the drivers that it was understandably clear that some of them were very angry at the turn of events but assured them that they would overcome all those challenges.
“As peace loving citizens, we shall all live here in peace, while keeping our fingers crossed and hoping that we will hear something fruitful from the police commander. Do not block the Afienya Highway, as has been alleged. We must all work towards peace during and after the December general election,” he said.