Beggars InvadeTamale

It has become obvious that the authorities of the Tamale Metropolitan Assembly have failed in their bid to rid the ceremonial streets of the metropolis of beggars.

Past evacuation exercises to flush out the beggars was not sustained, paving the way for more beggars to flood the area once again.

A former Metropolitan Chief Executive (MCE), Mohammed Amin Adam, in his bid to give the metropolis a facelift, sacked the beggars from the streets.

Authorities claimed it was illegal to beg for alms on streets as the law and constitution of the country did not make provisions for such acts.

They noted that the presence of beggars on streets obstructed free flow of human and vehicular movement on the principal streets of the metropolis, hence their ejection.

But a few years after this action, the activities of beggars at traffic lights and other ceremonial streets have become more pronounced.

Not a day goes by without beggars parading on the major streets, begging for alms, further congesting the already choked streets of the Tamale metropolis.

It would be recalled that prior to the CAN 2008 elections, the Tamale Metropolitan Assembly embarked on a decongestion exercise, pulling down unauthorized structures as part of measures to allow free movement on the pedestrian pavements and to further beautify the city.

The exercise, which was met with criticisms and mixed feelings, continued till all unapproved structures on the principal streets were cleared.

Residents however raised concerns as to the sustenance of the exercise.

The assembly had initially issued an ejection notice to the beggars to vacate the venue at a given date but they defied the order.

A combined team of personnel from the Ghana Police Service and the Metropolitan Task Force continued with the exercise.

But soon after authorities had relaxed, the beggars have since reoccupied the streets.