Mr. Ishmael Ashitey second left and Mr. Mohammed Sowah with AMA officials at the Kaneshie market
The Accra Metropolitan Assembly (AMA) has hinted it will be expanding its decongestion exercise, currently underway in the central business district of Accra, to other parts of the Metropolis.
The next phase of the exercise will be carried out at the Kaneshie Market Area, N1 highway, and along the Odorkor-Kwashieman road, and other unauthorized public places that hawkers have turned into market centers in the city, according to the Assembly.
AMA, last week, intensified its decongestion exercise to the Rawlings Park and the Railway line a few days after sending traders and hawkers on the streets of the Kwame Nkrumah Circle, Avernor, Old Kingsway to N. I. B, packing.
The Metropolitan Chief Executive, Mohammed Adjei Sowah, said the exercise, which is being undertaken in stages, had the ultimate goal of ridding the city of filth and increasing mobility.
Mr. Sowah made the announcement during an inspection tour of the affected areas together with the Greater Accra Regional Minister, Ishmael Ashitey.
The two men examined the central business district starting from Old Kingsway through Rawlings Park to Independence Avenue and Barnes road to the Railway Line and Kaneshie to ascertain the progress of the exercise which the Assembly had stressed will be sustained.
Mr. Sowah, interacting with journalists after the tour, expressed satisfaction at the ongoing work being executed by the AMA taskforce indicating that traders at places where the exercise is yet to reach are complying with the directive.
Mr. Sowah, however, cautioned hawkers and traders not to take for granted the humane attitude which had characterized the exercise so far. He said the Assembly would not hesitate to use the laws within its jurisdiction if traders become recalcitrant.
Mr. Ashitey shared the same observation but hinted of plans to get other districts in the capital also decongested.
“From Accra we are looking at going to Adenta and Tema” he said. “We want to take it one district at a time,” he added.
He suggested full time involvement of the police to strengthen and sustain the exercise adding that the security personnel who are already visible on the streets could be engaged.
By Jamila Akweley Okertchiri & Abigail Owiredu Boateng