The Motor Transport and Traffic Department (MTTD) of the Ghana Police Service, has cautioned the public to discuss issues relating to foreigners who are engaging in commercial driving in Ghana with circumspection.
According to the Director of Research and Education at MTTD, DSP Alexander Obeng , if care is not taken unguarded criticisms could lead to xenophobic attack on foreigners in Ghana.
Social media was awash over the weekend with a picture of a young man who appeared to be a Chinese driving a taxi cab in Ghana. Although the registration plate of the taxi cab did not show in the photo, the embossment on the side of the cab showed that it was registered with Ga South Municipal Assembly: GASMA-J289-WEIJA. Many have wondered if foreigners, especially Chinese nationals, are now taking over the commercial driving business after their involvement in galamsey.
But Director of Research and Education at MTTD DSP Alexander Obeng said the public should tone down on their criticism. He explained that the law permits anyone albeit a foreign national, who has the requisite documents, to engage in business in the country, adding that just as Ghanaians outside the shores of the country are allowed to work, same is applicable in Ghana.
“We should be careful how we discuss this issue, the fact that we see a foreigner doing taxi business cannot mean that it is illegal. What we should be concerned rather about is documents and if they have the right papers, then we should be careful the way we talk about them,” he cautioned.
DSP Alexander Obeng said if the issue about the purported Chinese man engaging in taxi business is not handle with care, it can also lead to internal problems here in Ghana where transport owners and operators will start agitating that foreigners are taking over their business.
“We should be careful not to create any situation that will lead to attacks on Ghanaians abroad” he added.
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