G/A: Move from the streets because you’ll soon be arrested – Regional Minister to traders

The Greater Accra Regional Minister, Linda Obenewaa Akweley Ocloo, has served notice that the congestion in the business district will be dealt with once and for all.

She has therefore warned traders who have taken over the pavements and streets in the business district to start packing because soon a task force will be deployed, and when found selling in the streets or pavements, they will be arrested and prosecuted.

The minister, speaking in an interview on Frontline on Rainbow Radio 87.5FM, stated that after the appointments and swearing in of the Metropolitan, Municipal, and District Chief Executives (MMDCEs), they would be tasked with taking the traders off our streets and pavements.

Traders in Ghana’s capital city, Accra, have taken over the streets and occupied areas to hawk and sell goods to customers.

The situation has become common on almost every major street in the capital, with vendors selling to customers on the pavements and streets.

The traders began their operations on pavements but have since moved to portions of major streets, causing inconvenience to drivers and the general public.

Reacting to this, the minister said, ”I have gone to inspect the affected areas, and the situation is terrible. We have yet to appoint the DCEs, and so after they are appointed, we are going to task every DCE to enforce the law. Any trader who would be found selling in the streets and pavements would be arrested. We have to enforce the law. We want to beautify the city. The traders have taken over the streets, yet when you go into the markets, there are spaces in there.

We met with the market queens in 15 different markets, and there are spaces in the markets, and yet these traders come to sell in the streets. If it is about the cost involved in getting spaces in the market, we can look at that, but we cannot continue to have them sell in our streets. We draw red lights in all the streets, and if you cross it, it will be an offence, and you will be arrested”, he added.

By: Rainbowradioonline.com/Ghana