Arrest recalcitrant traders selling on pavements - Okai

Accra, July 9, GNA - Recalcitrant traders and hawkers still selling on pavements and other unauthorized places in the nation's capital especially in the Central Business District should be arrested and prosecuted according to the by-laws of the Accra Metropolitan Assembly (AMA).

The call was made in Accra by Mr Daniel Nii Okai, Chairman of the Odododiodioo Constituency of the National Democratic Congress (NDC) in an interview with the Ghana News Agency. He stated that even though the exercise to decongest the city had been successful so far, there were some few "Stubborn" traders and hawkers who would hide in street corners when security personnel monitoring the exercise were around.

Mr Okai, Member of the AMA said immediately the security personnel mainly fire service and prisons officers were out of sight the traders and hawkers returned to the streets to sell their wares. He pointed out that the arrest and prosecution of the traders and hawkers who defied the order to stop selling on the streets would serve as a deterrent to others.

Mr Okai stressed the need to sustain the exercise through public education programmes involving the various market associations, churches, communities and identifiable groups to prevent it from becoming a nine-day wonder.

This would inculcate in the people the culture of buying and selling only in the markets and shops instead of pavements and the streets, which led to a heavy vehicular and human traffic especially in the Central Business District and commercial centres, he said. Mr Okai commended the Mr Alfred Vanderpuiye, the Metropolitan Chief Executive for his initiative and stressed the need to evacuate the heaps of refuse, which had piled in the city to make Accra clean. He said the cleanliness of Accra would befit its status as the nation's capital and the gateway to the country to attract investors and tourists. 09 July 09