The Kumasi Metropolitan Chief Executive (MCE), Madam Patricia Appiagyei has said that the Metropolitan Assembly (KMA) would as from next month give new identification numbers to taxi drivers who operate in the metropolis. The exercise, she said, would take effect from September 17, and was aimed at regulating the activities of taxi drivers ahead of next year's MTN/CAN 2008 tournament to be hosted by Ghana. She stated that to ensure the success of the initiative, KMA had begun discussions with transport owners and unions and other stakeholders in the transportation industry to determine a uniform identification for the drivers. Madam Appiagyei said this at the launch of the Kumasi Venue Organising Committee's (KVOC) local launch of the MTN/CAN 2008 tournament in Kumasi. The Kumasi venue is among the venue cities of Accra, Sekondi and Tamale to host the CAN 2008. The MCE indicated that when the new measures are put into effect, drivers who have not registered with any transport union in the Metropolis would be barred from working unless they applied for membership from one of the unions. Madam Appiagyei said she was hopeful that the exercise would help to expose corrupt drivers and suspicious characters who would like to take advantage of the tournament and dupe or manhandle unsuspecting foreigners. She further declared the KMA'S resolve to enforce one of its bye-laws on paintings to the letter as part of measures to beautify the metropolis. The MCE announced that the Assembly would therefore from next month impress upon residents to paint their houses, especially those along ceremonial roads. She said plans were far advanced by the KMA to implement directives to ensure Kumasi was ready as one of the venues to host the tournament. Madam Appiagyei said that almost all the 342 hotels in the metropolis were being given a facelift to suit the occasion, adding that the KMA would also collaborate effectively with all the security agencies to protect lives and property during and after the tournament. The Assembly, she said, would also restrict the movement of vehicles so as to forestall the traffic congestion that are normally associated with such competitions. Madam Appiagyei appealed to residents to co-operate with the KMA by being law-abiding to help restore Kumasi to its status as the 'Garden City' of West Africa. Source: GNA