There was tension in Gomoa East District when Tipper truck drivers clashed with the police over a Quarry Development Fund levy imposed on them by the Gomoa East District Assembly.
The clash occured when the police moved in to arrest some drivers who failed to comply with the directive.
This development resulted in strict resistance from the drivers who could not understand why the police would be called in to arrest them over what they described as u warranted levy.
It emerged that the Gomoa East District Assembly had instituted the Quarry Development Fund a few months back with the aim of utilizing the proceeds on development expansion within the district.
The Assembly also seeks to levy each tipper truck GHC 80.00 per truck load of quarry materials.
The drivers met the police with fierce resistance as they described the levy as too huge and potentially crippling their business.
Even though the DCE Solomon Darko Quarm has held several meetings with tipper truck operators it has not been easy getting the Progressive Transport Owners Association (PROTOA) registered drivers to comply.
Meanwhile, failure on the part of some drivers to pay the levy caused the Assembly to invite the police for their arrest.
There was a near volatile when personnel from the Central East Regional Police Command stepped in to effect arrest.
Ibrahim Abass a Tipper driver with the Progressive Transport Owners Association says the Assembly is not treating them fairly since they are only Tipper Drivers loading at the site. He again noted that the amount being charged is way too high.
Abass said; “The levy was introduced in 2022 and we are not well informed about it. We are only Tipper Drivers and not Quarry workers. What the Assembly is doing is not the best. We are gradually being kicked out of business. President Akufo Addo must intervene. We won’t pay the money.”
They described the levy as obnoxious.
Satiation master for the PROTOA Tipper Truck Drivers Association, Eric Addo called on the Minister of Local Government to intervene in the issue of the levy as he called on the IGP George Akufo Dampare to direct the Central East Regional Command to be circumspect in handling the matter.
According to him the supposed levy should rather be imposed on quarry operators.