General News of Friday, 9 January 2004

Source: GNA

AMA reaches agreement with hawkers

Accra, Jan.9, GNA - Accra Metropolitan Assembly (AMA) on Friday reached an agreement with hawkers to stop selling on pavements. A statement signed by Mr N.L. Tetteh, Metropolitan Co-ordinating Director said, "as part of measures to decongest the streets and pavements in the Accra Metropolis, an agreement has been reached with representatives of the traders and hawkers to stop selling in the streets and on pavements, since the Christmas season is over."

The executive of the Traders and Hawkers Association and the Accra Metropolitan Assembly agreed that: traders who have left their stalls in the markets to join their colleagues on the pavements and streets should return to their stalls and spaces in the markets.

It said, "in time, street markets would be established on rotational basis at the week-ends to accommodate traders and hawkers.

The statement said all traders and hawkers without sheds would be registered and accommodated in any of the 28 markets, where there were spaces and that AMA would identify and operate swap markets in open areas in the metropolis for traders.

The executive of the traders association and the AMA Market Committee would meet bi-weekly to ensure the workings of the arrangements.

It was the expectation of AMA that all traders and the general public would co-operate fully to bring about order and discipline within the central business district, the statement said.