The Okaikwei North Municipal Assembly in the Greater Accra Region has vowed to decongest and evict traders selling along the principal streets from Thursday, December 16.
This is to allow free flow of traffic at Lapaz, Achimota and other busy areas within the municipality this Yuletide.
Traders who sell at Lapaz and Achimota, particularly, have undergone a sensitization exercise to help them willingly move to Achimota New Station, where the assembly has prepared for them to sell.
This according to the assembly forms part of measures to underpin the road safety campaign as well as to ease traffic and ensure sanity on the road before, during and after the Yuletide.
Festive seasons in the city are usually characterized by heavy vehicular traffic situations as traders are allowed to freely sell on principal streets in the capital.
This typically makes it problematic for pedestrians and other road users to move freely resulting in the upsurge of road mortalities.
Head of Task Force and Personal Assistant to the Okaikwei North Municipal Chief Executive Rexford Frimpong, speaking to Onua FM during the sensitization exercise, commended the traders for their disposition and enthusiasm to move to the new place.
Nevertheless, he has threatened to drastically deal with recalcitrant traders who would in any way refuse to move within the stipulated time.
Presiding Member for Okaikwei North Municipal Assembly Nii Odai Abdullah also reiterated the Assembly’s commitment to accommodate the hawkers to sell at Achimota New Station.
He equally cautioned the traders to desist from selling on the streets as directed or face the wrath of the Assembly.
Meanwhile, the hawkers have expressed fret over how the Assembly’s task force is handling the process of moving them to the new place.
They have accused the task force of clandestinely demarcating the space at Achimota New Station to family members and close friends.
However, Mr. Frimpong refuted the claims and allegations leveled against the task force and has promised to ensure that all stranded traders are allowed space to do business at the Achimota New Station.
