National Security, GHA probe alleged embezzlement at Axle Load Station
National Security operatives in the Ashanti Region, together with the Ghana Highway Authority, have initiated a joint investigation into allegations of corruption at the Axle Load Station in Akom, located in the Afigya Kwabre North District.
This investigation comes in response to a protest by local youth affiliated with the ruling National Democratic Congress (NDC).
On Monday, June 30, they converged at the station, claiming that fines collected from overloaded vehicles were being under-reported and embezzled.
Following the unrest, National Security officials stepped in to restore order at the facility.
The protesters alleged that the charges imposed on overloaded vehicles were being manipulated and that some authorities were engaging in unofficial arrangements with truck drivers, allowing them to continue their journeys despite carrying excess cargo.
Moreover, the youth asserted that certain officials were unfairly targeting international trucks, with reports of drivers paying up to GH20,000 to personnel on site in exchange for permission to proceed without the proper receipts.
In light of these accusations, National Security has placed officers at the load station to maintain operational integrity. They have also begun discussions with the Ghana Highway Authority to address the allegations raised by the community.
Officials have expressed concerns about diminishing revenue, suspecting that some truck drivers may be colluding with staff members to circumvent the proper procedures, thereby evading fines.
The investigation has expanded to include claims that several personnel from the Ghana Highway Authority have established unauthorised checkpoints along routes to extort funds from drivers, again without issuing official receipts.
Ashanti Regional Security Coordinator, Captain (Rtd.) John Kwame Jabari, has confirmed to the media that the investigation is actively ongoing.
“Yesterday, Thursday, July 3, they brought a team to come and meet us at the RCC, and we went over some of the issues. The team promised that they are going to work on it and get back to us. I am sure by Monday they will do so,” he said.