The Ashanti Regional Police Command says it is poised to rid the streets of indiscipline motorcycle riders.

The Command said the riders are noted for jumping traffic lights, riding without license and crash helmets and flouting road traffic regulations with impunity, which contribute to loss of lives and property.

Regional Police Commander, DCOP Afful Boakye Yiadom, gave the warning at the back of the arrest of 91 recalcitrant riders.

The Ashanti region has over the years contributed to road fatalities, accounting for more than half of national figures. 

Whilst 190 persons were killed by motorcycle in 2020, the region recorded 187 motorbike-related deaths in 2021.

The period also saw an increase in pedestrian knockdowns from 680 in 2020 to 693 in 2021. 

On the back of this, an operation dubbed ‘Police Action Against Road Indiscipline (PARI)’ has been introduced. 

Ninety-one motorbike riders who flouted various road traffic regulations in Asokore Mampong, Kumasi, Asokwa and Oforikrom were arrested under the operation. 

As first-time offenders, all the suspects were pardoned and issued with warning letters.

Before their release, the suspects were taken through some road traffic regulations, especially on usage of traffic lights.

DCOP Afful Boakye Yiadom, the Ashanti Regional Police Commander, told journalists the exercise will be sustained to sanitise the roads.

“We are going all out to arrest all those who go through traffic lights, who don’t have papers on their motorbikes, who ride in-between vehicles and those who don’t wear crash helmets,” he said.

“It is not going to be a nine-day wonder. It is going to be continuing so that we get rid of all those indiscipline riders on our road,” he added.

Meanwhile, some of the suspects have hailed the police action.

Umar Abdul Salam was arrested for riding without a helmet.

Whilst sharing his experience with JoyNews, he said he was surprised police will not charge them.

“On behalf of my colleagues, we are very happy.”

There is a saying in my local dialect that when they hit you first, you don’t wait for them to hit you with the second so since he has issued warning letter to everyone of us, at least, I urge all my colleagues to be very, very careful  so we go abide by whatever they are saying.”  

“In fact the Commander has shown impact on us on how to live our lives especially traffic lights- it plays a major role on road signs. So, to me what the commander showed us is very, very important.”