The police in Kumasi have embarked on a special operation to arrest and prosecute motorists who abuse trade number plates.
About 20 drivers were arrested during the first day of the operation, which is aimed at bringing sanity into the use of trade number plates.
Briefing the Daily Graphic on the operation, the Asokwa Divisional Police Motor Traffic and Transport Unit (MTTU) Commander, ASP Kingsley Kwame Kawodie, said the offenders were charged with misuse of number plates and put before court.
He said they pleaded not guilty to the charge, but the court found them guilty and convicted them to a fine.
He said Sections 23 and 24 of LI 2180 stated the conditions under which trade number plates should be used.
Explaining the rationale behind the special operation, ASP Kawodie said many of such vehicles were being used for weddings, funerals and church programmes contrary to driving regulations.
“Henceforth, motorists who use vehicles with trade mark number plates to transport wedding couple or family members to attend funerals and other social events would be arrested and put before court”, he warned.
He added that drivers who hung such plates behind their vehicles would be arrested and prosecuted.
According to Mr Kawodie, trade mark plates should be properly fixed on vehicles for easy identification and not to hung or put them in vehicles as had become the norm among a section of motorists.
