The National security Coordinator, Lt. Col. Larry Gbevlo-Lartey (Rtd.) says the toll booth at the Okponglo entrance of the University of Ghana was demolished because it was a public nuisance.
He stated that the ongoing construction of the structure “cannot be called a toll booth. It is a construction. It is work in progress,” he maintained.
Personnel from National Security in the early hours of Tuesday demolished the toll booth still under construction at the entrance of the University of Ghana, Legon.
The Head of Security at the school, ACP Adamu Salifu disclosed that the exercise was carried out by some national security operatives together with armed Policemen.
In an interview on the Citi Breakfast Show on Tuesday, Gbevlo-Lartey pointed out that the construction of the toll booth was causing traffic “and creating a complete nuisance to everybody.”
He insisted that the head of security at Legon refused to heed the demand for a relocation of the toll booth after he was informed on Sunday.
“We sent word to the head of security in Legon to tell him that that was unacceptable and that they would have to do some readjustment so that that nuisance is removed…by yesterday, they had not moved, they were still around the place,”
Gbevlo-Lartey narrated. The National security Coordinator also disclosed that the legality of the charging of tolls by the school authority is the next matter his outfit will look at “as to whether they should be there at all collecting any toll.”
He described the matter as practical not strategic and therefore, there was no need for the “Vice Chancellor and co to look at” because the head of Security, ACP Salifu is a retired Police officer who “understands practical deployment…and I don’t need to go to the Vice Chancellor to talk about these petty things.”
He pointed out that the tolling of vehicles was causing “public disaffection…and it is my responsibility to remove it immediately” adding that there was no need for a court order to be acquired before embarking on the demolishing exercise.”
Efua Idan Osam/citifmonline.com/Ghana