Most first time drivers at the Kotoka International Airport, have at a point being confused as to where to park, stop or where not to stop.
Joseph Quaye Amoo, one of the many drivers who had such an experience that cost him a 150 Ghana Cedis fine, says he picked up two Chinese Americans to the Arrival Hall of Kotoka, who were also to pick up another colleague who arrived earlier.
In an attempt to hurriedly pick him up, Joseph claims he stopped not less than 5 seconds on the Zebra crossing line.
He said suddenly two men in a reflector sat in his car and asked him to drive to their office to make a payment of 150 Ghana cedis for an offence of alighting passengers on the zebra crossing line.
“I told him to take 20 cedis so he would have mercy on me because it wasn’t my deliberate intention to break a rule/law at the airport, the person at the security yard I was handed over to asked me what I want him to do for me since I am telling him I don’t have 150 Ghana Cedis to pay. He asked how much I had. He was able to come up with an amount of GHS 78.00 and set me free without a receipt.”
Joseph said he drove out to go and get the additional money from his bank to complete the charge of Ghc150.00.
“He [traffic warden), came to me while I was in the driving seat and I told him to give me back my GHS 78.00 and that I’ll pay the whole spot fine of GHS 150.00. I saw he was shocked and he told me he had to get the money from his other colleague. This meant that they had shared the GHS 78.00 after just about 20 minutes when they received it”.
Joseph says he eventually got a receipt for Ghc150.00, although he still had some concerns about the incident.
One of his concerns was why the men in reflectors watched him until he unintentionally committed the offence. He said instead of assisting drivers to do the right thing, they watch them commit the offence and unduly charge them.
Another concern was why the road officer rejected the Ghc20.00, yet accepted the GHS 78.00 and freed him without a receipt?
What is the rationale behind such unfair approach? Is it mainly for undue revenue collection or to bring sanity to the area?
According to Joseph, the traffic wardens at the Airport are corrupt, as they force unsuspecting drivers to pay them bribes to avoid the hefty fines for very insignificant road offences in the airport area.
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By: Farida Yusif/citinewsroom.com/Ghana