Bono East Police Warn Tricycle Riders Against Distractions and Criminal Collusion. 

Detected Manipulations & Suggested Changes

Unsubstantiated claims

Presenting assertions without evidence, data, or corroborating sources.

1) "describing such behaviour as a major contributor to the frequent road accidents recorded in the area." 2) "According to him, the conduct of some riders has become a source of concern to the general public, prompting repeated complaints from motorists and pedestrians." 3) "the Police have received intelligence reports suggesting that some Pragya riders are allegedly colluding with criminals to rob passengers of their money and personal belongings."

4 suggestions

Provide specific data or references to support the claim that distractions by riders are a "major contributor" to frequent road accidents (e.g., accident statistics, police reports, or studies).

Quantify or qualify the "repeated complaints" by indicating approximate numbers, time frames, or citing an official complaint record, rather than leaving it as a vague general concern.

Clarify the nature of the "intelligence reports" (e.g., number of reported incidents, whether arrests have been made, or whether investigations are ongoing) and distinguish clearly between allegations and confirmed cases.

Add a sentence indicating the current status of evidence, such as: "The Police did not provide specific figures or case details but indicated that investigations are ongoing."

Hasty generalization

Drawing broad conclusions about a group based on limited or unspecified evidence.

"According to him, the conduct of some riders has become a source of concern to the general public, prompting repeated complaints from motorists and pedestrians." The phrase "the conduct of some riders" combined with "source of concern to the general public" risks implying that riders as a group are problematic, without specifying scale or proportion.

3 suggestions

Specify the scale more precisely, for example: "According to him, the conduct of a number of riders has raised concerns among some motorists and pedestrians, leading to complaints to the Police."

Avoid implying that the "general public" as a whole is concerned; instead, attribute concerns to "some members of the public" or "several road users" unless there is evidence of broad public consensus.

Include a clarifying line such as: "He emphasized that while many riders operate responsibly, a minority engage in practices that have drawn complaints."

Biased language

Using wording that subtly favors one side or frames another side negatively without balanced context.

The article presents only the Police perspective and uses phrases that can frame riders negatively without offering their viewpoint: - "the conduct of some riders has become a source of concern to the general public" - "some Pragya riders are allegedly colluding with criminals to rob passengers" No response or comment from rider associations or individual riders is included.

4 suggestions

Include a response or comment from a representative of the Pragya riders or their association, especially regarding the allegations of collusion with criminals and concerns about rider conduct.

Add balancing language such as: "Rider representatives at the gathering acknowledged the need for safety but said most riders operate lawfully and responsibly." if such statements were made.

Clarify that the allegations concern "a few individuals" or "isolated cases" if that reflects the Police view, to avoid casting suspicion on all riders.

Explicitly note the lack of rider comment if none was available, e.g., "Rider leaders could not be reached for comment on the allegations."

Oversimplification

Reducing a complex issue to a single or overly narrow cause.

"describing such behaviour as a major contributor to the frequent road accidents recorded in the area." This frames distractions (phone use, loud music) as a major contributor to accidents without acknowledging other possible factors such as road conditions, other drivers’ behavior, vehicle maintenance, or infrastructure.

3 suggestions

Qualify the statement to acknowledge other contributing factors, for example: "He described such behaviour as one of the major contributors to road accidents in the area, alongside factors such as speeding, poor road conditions, and disregard for traffic regulations by various road users."

If available, include brief reference to broader accident statistics or known causes in the region to show that the issue is multifaceted.

Attribute the assessment clearly as opinion or assessment by the officer, e.g., "In his view, such behaviour is a major contributor..."

Unbalanced reporting

Presenting mainly one side’s perspective without adequate representation of other relevant viewpoints.

The article exclusively reports the statements and views of ACP Stephen Boadu and the Police. It does not include: - Any direct quotes or paraphrased responses from Pragya riders or their association. - Any independent verification or commentary (e.g., from road safety experts, transport authorities, or passengers). This is particularly important where allegations of criminal collusion are made.

4 suggestions

Include at least one comment from a Pragya riders’ association leader or an individual rider reacting to the safety advice and the allegations of collusion with criminals.

Add a brief perspective from an independent road safety expert or local transport authority on the causes of accidents involving tricycles and the effectiveness of the proposed measures.

If no other sources were available, explicitly state this, e.g., "Rider representatives and independent experts were not immediately available for comment." to signal the limitation to readers.

Clarify that the allegations of collusion are currently claims by the Police and have not yet been independently verified or adjudicated in court.