The Ada Police Command has launched an operation to arrest unregistered motorbikes in the area, ahead of the Asafotufiami Festival.
The exercise is aimed at sanitizing the Ada Traditional area and curbing the rampant theft of motorbikes in the area.
The Assistant Commissioner of Police (ACP) Joseph Atsu Dzineku, the Ada Divisional Police Commander, told the Ghana News Agency (GNA) that, during festive seasons, people come from many places with stolen motorbikes while others come to vehicles and many other valuables.
According to him the operation would continue until the festival is over to arrest those stolen bikes and all the people that are involved.
The theft of motorbikes has become a daily occurrence in Ada, especially during Christmas, Easter, Asafotufiami and other big occasions, a situation that is putting the lives of indigenes, especially commercial motor riders, at risk.
Some riders have had their bikes stolen without a trace, while others have been assaulted and injured while trying to protect their vehicles, forcing commercial riders to close their businesses earlier than usual, causing economic hardship.
ACP Dzineku said that some of the riders, struggle with them when arrested and it was a major challenge to the police, adding that some of them do not register their motorbikes and so whenever a motor theft was reported and it was unregistered, tracing it becomes difficult.
“We always tell them to register their motorbikes and get them insured but most of them do not do it. Some don’t even have papers on their bikes and most of them are just riding without licenses,” he stated.
He added that “You’ll be surprised to know that some don’t have helmets and when you arrest them, they are the people who resist the arrest. We are not against them. What we are doing is for their own safety.”
He noted that some gangs normally come from Ashaiman, Kasoa and other places to steal from Ada during such occasions, and therefore they have already put measures in place to arrest perpetrators of any crime.
ACP Dzineku added that aside the motorbike thefts, some of the youth also involve themselves in smoking and selling of illicit drugs, noting that the police had identified some areas notable for selling the drugs which they would swoop before the Asafotufiami festival celebrations.
He added that the influence of these drugs push the youth to engage in many unlawful acts, putting their lives and others in danger.
He called on the youth to eschew unlawful activities and charged them to draw the attention of the police when they see activities that may destroy lives and properties.
