Volta Police meet traders over extortion complaints on Aflao–Accra highway
Police in Ghana’s Volta Region held meetings with traders and market women following complaints of alleged harassment and extortion by some law enforcement officers on the Aflao–Accra highway. The outreach was led by the regional police commander, Deputy Commissioner Wisdom Akorli.
According to MyJoyOnline, the meetings began after a petition by youth activist and NDC Ketu South constituency vice-chairmanship aspirant Daniel Jerry Sorokpo. He appealed to Inspector-General of Police Christian Tetteh Yohunu to investigate reports of alleged abuse targeting people transporting goods along the road.
Meetings along the highway
Following the appeal, the Inspector-General of Police invited Akorli to Accra to discuss the issues raised. A police team then held meetings in Sogakope, Akatsi, Agbozume and Aflao, where traders and other road users could speak about their interactions with police officers on the route.
More current news is available on the UA.News Telegram channel Telegram.
The regional police spokesperson, Chief Inspector Francis Kwaku Gomado, said the command had received reports of possible extortion of traders while they transported goods. According to him, police officers have no right to demand money from traders or other road users simply because they are transporting goods.
Traders’ statements
Sorokpo’s petition stated that police officers allegedly stopped traders transporting rice, sugar, cooking oil, beans and vegetables and demanded that they show receipts for the goods. According to the petitioner, those unable to provide such documents were sometimes made to pay money.
Some market women who spoke with the police team also confirmed these allegations. They said that certain police officers demanded at least 50 Ghanaian cedis from them, including when the women were taking goods from their homes to nearby markets. Gomado also described reports of traders and travellers being held on the highway for hours as unacceptable and urged people to report possible violations to the regional police command.
