A/R: ‘Stubborn’ Sofoline drivers return to roadside a week after being lashed by angry soldiers

Recalcitrant taxi and trotro drivers at Sofoline in the Kwadaso Municipality of the Ashanti Regional capital have returned to the roadside despite the severe beatings they received from military personnel barely a week ago.

It would be recalled MyNewsGh.com reported of pandemonium broke out on Monday morning January 28, 2019 in Kumasi when drivers at Sofoline in the Ashanti Region were subjected to severe lashes by five uniformed military personnel for wrongful parking.

The drivers who have been given a designated area for loading and parking which is the Sofoline lorry terminal by city authorities, decided to abandon the place and are now operating on the roadside close to the Fourth Battalion Infantry (4BN).

About 5 soldiers stormed the place to maintain law and order by beating the hell out of the drivers who were loading near the road at that time.

A visit to Sofoline by MyNewsGh.com Ashanti Regional Correspondent on Monday February 4, 2019 revealed that the drivers after temporarily vacating the area have returned   again are operating on the roadside after the action by the military personnel.

The recalcitrant drivers’ attitude keeps causing necessary traffic around the area the reason for which they were beaten out of the place after persistent warnings.

Speaking to some of the unyielding drivers, they admitted that their actions are illegal but observed that the area designated for them as a loading bay was not conducive.

According to them, authorities of Sofoline lorry terminal refused to give trotro drivers space at the terminal saying the situation has forced them to operate by the roadside though fear they could be subjected to another round of beatings.

“We don’t have any option than to operate at the roadside because we don’t have a place to operate. Authorities failed to give us (Trotro drivers) a space at the lorry terminal. We are appealing to the authorities to come to our aid” they said.

Speaking to GPRTU Chairman at Sofoline Kwasi Boamah, he said soldiers will be deployed to move the recalcitrant drivers from the road side anytime soon which will be commendable, indicating that his outfit has not in any way endorsed their conduct.

Source:MyNewsGh.com