KMA to embark on massive trader eviction today

The Mayor of Kumasi has said the assembly will no long tolerate acts of indiscipline among traders, commercial drivers and illegal transport union operators in the metropolis.

The warning has become needful after the city nearly recorded a major stampede last Monday between Kejetia and Central Market as a result of illegal trading activities.

To avoid recurrence of the incident, which led to six people being hospitalised at the Komfo Anokye Teaching hospital, the Mayor of the metropolis Osei Asibbey Antwi has directed the KMA’s task force to clear all traders selling on pavements including illegal transport unions operating at the Komfo Anokye roundabout.

“I just want to assure all our traders, commercial transport operators and transport unions that the joint police and KMA’s task force is not coming to witch-hunt anybody but to enforce law and order in the metropolis. However, recalcitrant traders and commercial drivers will be dealt with in this exercise according to the assembly’s bylaws ’’ he assured.

He warned commercial drivers who have converted the Komfo Anokye roundabout to a lorry station to seize their operation with immediate effect

“ I realized the formation of illegal lorry station at Komfo Anokye roundabout and we will go after them. But unfortunate for them, last week the assembly’s task force and police arrested and prosecuted 12 commercial drivers using Komfo Anokye round about as lorry station to load and off load passengers”.

Meanwhile, residents of Kumasi have thrown their weight behind the mayor to free the metropolis from the human and vehicular traffic which is impeding human movement.