The Accra Metropolitan Assembly (AMA) has began a special exercise to rid Accra streets of children and beggars.

Consequently, the exercise, which began on Thursday, May 25, 2018 had identified and picked up 200 persons including children believed to be from Niger and Nigeria on some ceremonial routes, streets, under bridges, and in traffic, begging for alms from benevolent individuals.

This was made known in a statement signed by Mr Gilbert Nii Ankrah, the Head of the Public Affairs Department of the AMA and copied to the Ghana News Agency on Friday.

It said the exercise was in collaboration with the La Dadekotopon Municipal Assembly.

The areas the exercise covered included Mövenpick Hotel, Trade Union Congress (TUC), Cathedral, 37 Military Hospital, Airport City, Airport Junction and Accra Mall, Spanner junction traffic light, and the Ghana Standards Board (Shiashie).

The statement assured the public that the AMA was working in close collaboration with the Department of Social Welfare towards the reformation and reintegration of these persons into society.

It said other areas that the exercise would be extended to are Kaneshie overhead bridge, Nima and Maamobi, and at traffic intersections at Sunny FM, Okponglo (Ghana Standards Authority) and Graphic Road stretch, the footbridges at the Tetteh Quarshie Interchange, as well as bus terminals like the Neoplan Bus Stop at Achimota, Circle, Kaneshie and the Korle-Bu traffic light.

The statement therefore, urged the public to cooperate with the AMA and should desist from giving money to beggars on the streets as they would be violating the Beggars and Destitute Act, 1969 (PNDCL 392), which criminalises the act of begging and giving to beggars.