AMA forces street hawkers out

Hawkers at the Central Business District of Accra have been finally forced off the streets by authorities of Accra Metropolitan Assembly (AMA) after they have defied a 24 hour order.

The AMA is seeking to get rid of all street hawkers with the intention of decongesting the national capital after it had failed in past similar exercises.

Although the Assembly has failed to provide alternative for these hawkers, many workers who spoke to an Accra based Citi FM, stated that the move is really affecting their businesses.

“The AMA task force is worrying us they are chasing us around. They have scattered everything and some people have lost their items. The shops around have had all of it items destroyed because the owners were not around,’’ a hawker lamented.

Another hawker sadly mentioned “as for today it hasn’t been easy at all, I am from Kumasi so it looks like I will be going back to Kumasi. When the AMA task forces take our things they do not return it to us again”.

According to the hawkers, the exercise has gravely affected their sales indicating that “if you call someone to come and buy your wares the customers get scared that they might be attacked by the task force. The whole place is scattered and we always have to be on a high alert for them,’’ they added.

Meanwhile, some hawkers further stated that they have resorted to keeping their clothes in bags to elude the task force, whiles others have vowed to return to the streets until the AMA provides a befitting alternative for them.