AMA Extends Deadline • To Ban Truck Pushing

By Jamila Akweley Okertchiri THE ACCRA Metropolitan Assembly (AMA) has extended the deadline for banning push trucks in the metropolis from September 15 to September 30, 2011. The change in date comes as a result of a request made by executives of the Trucks Pushers and Truck and Scrap Dealers Associations to the AMA during a meeting in Accra. Lawyer Yaw Twumasi Ankrah, legal officer of the assembly, announcing the new date to the truck pushers, said even though the AMA has granted their request by extending the date, it would be the last. “We were going to enforce it from yesterday, but your executives came to us and pleaded for extension of time.” Lawyer Ankrah therefore noted that the enforcement date will start from 1st October, 2011. This he said was to reduce the reports of accidents caused by push trucks. He further announced the registration and issuance of number plates for the trucks. “The AMA will absorb the cost of the number plates but you will pay the business operating tax of GH¢1 per month,” lawyer Ankrah noted. Furthermore, he indicated that the truck pushers had till the end of September 2011 to finish registration as the assembly had so far registered 500 trucks. Reiterating the earlier plans of the AMA, Lawyer Ankrah said the trucks will be allowed to operate in markets areas but not on major streets and ceremonial roads. “Liberation Circle Roads, Nima High way, Oxford Street, Osu, Roman Ridge Round About, through Roman Catholic Cathedral, Trade Union Congress (TUC) to Old Parliament House are also included,” he said. The legal officer of the assembly observed that any truck pusher who fails to abide by the new rules will be cautioned and then fined if the offence is repeated.