MTTU BOSS PUSHES FOR AUTONOMY

By Felix Engsalige Nyaaba

The National Commanding officer of Motor Transport and Traffic Unit of the Ghana police Services, Assistant Commissioner of Police (ACP),  Angwubutoge Awuni,  has called on the Governemnt and the police Management and Adversary Board to consider and  make the unit an autonomous  to have an oversight responsibility of its own affair.

He said, when the MTTU is giving an Authority just like others division in the police services, including the CID and the PIPS that have their own directorates, the unit would be able to meet some of the challenges it faces in terms of logistics and infrastructures, which would eventually help reduce the stress of the government annual budget to the police services.

The MTTU National Commanding Officer made the called at the weekend, during the unit’s  annual West Africa Security Activities (WASSA) of the Ghana police services as its 2011 end of year party at the MTTU Headquarters in Accra.

The WASSA event which is held annually is meant to refresh Police personnel for working throughout the year and to reward those who have distinguished themselves in their areas of operation.

He state that, the unit has done a lot for the past year with fewer  resources to work with and  that when it is given the autonomy to general its own funds, it would leave up to expectation.

According to the MTTU Commander, an amount of GHC1, 008,438.00 was generated as court fines by the MTTU nationwide and believed with must resources to work with the unit would do more for the nation.

He, however, stated that, if a percentage of such court fines were given to the officers who operation leads to the fines, it would help reduce the perceived corrupt practice by officers of the unit or the temptation of taking bribes from road offenders.

In terms of road accidents and other traffic crime in the country, Mr. Awuni said, despite the efforts being made by the unit on the road, the rate of traffic crashes was still on the increase nationwide and statistics had further  indicated an increased percentage of 32.38% in persons  that died as at December 31,  2011, as against 2010.

He  noted that, though the few men and women  attached to  the unit are dedicated to their duties and have worked hard during the past year, the lack of the  requisite  logistics  has also hamper it full operation.

Mr. Angwubutoge Awuni therefore, appealed to the Inspector General of Police to equip the unit with the needed resources to be able to meet some of the teeming problems it faces in the pursuit to serve the country.

He also called on the police Administration to organize a periodic skills and professional enhancement training for the personnel to enhance their professional skills and competence, adding  communication skills, etiquette, knowledge in road traffic collision investigation as well as specialist training in road crashes collection are crucial and therefore should not be delayed.

The MTTU Commander however, assured the nation that the unit would beef up it officers on the road before, during and after the Easter festival to reduce road crash in the country.

He challenged personnel to be professional in the dispensation of their duties before, during and after the Easter as well as the December parliamentary and presidential elections

The Director General in charge of Operation of the Ghana police services, Commissioner of Police (COP), John Kudalor who represented the Inspector General of police (IGP) assured the unit that, the police Management and Adversary Board has taking notices of the challenges facing the unit and some has since been approved.

He stated that, plans are also far advanced to equip the unit which is the image builder of the Ghana police services and that some of the logistics requested for have been approved and are at the procurement stage waiting for the appropriate agency to be procured and supplied.

Mr. Kobby Achempong, the Deputy Minister of Interior as a special guest of honour, urged the MTTU officers to be more professional in their duty, especially on the road side, saying the officers in attempt to control traffic at time end up causing prolonged  traffic on the road.

He said the MTTU is the mirror of the police services in the eyes of the general public and called on the officers to exhibit high sense of professionalism and competence when dealing with the public or road users in the country.

The Deputy Interior minister however, noted that the called by the national Commanding officer of the unit to be made autonomous was long overdue, saying in the advance countries; the MTTU has a stake in the court fines it makes on road offenders.

He however, assured that he would see to it that such policy is emulated in the country to help reduce the perceived corruption tagged against the police.

The National MTTU also uses the WASSA program to award some of its officers who excel excellently in line of their services to the country.

Two retired national commanders of the unit, including ACP Victor Tandoh  and ACP  Appiah joined the officers to celebrate the annual  WASSA programme which is deem to be the Christmas festival for the services officers.

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