The Accra Metropolitan Assembly (AMA) has announced its intention to expand marketplaces to prevent traders from vending on pedestrian walkways in the Central Business District (CBD).

Public Relations of Officer (PRO) of the Assembly, Gilbert Ankrah, revealed that traders plying their trade on passengers’ walkways have always been a source of concern to the Assembly and as such, it hopes to solve the problem as soon as it can.

In an interview with Samuel Eshun on the Happy Morning Show, Gilbert expressed: “The Assembly is concerned looking at the way they are moving to the pedestrian walkway. The Assembly is taking all measures to address this concern to ensure that the pedestrian walkway is preserved for pedestrians.”

Detailing how the issue will be addressed, the PRO added: “The Assembly acknowledges the fact that the traders have become more. Our market is not big enough to accommodate all. So, we want to put in measures to expand the market to accommodate the traders and that we believe will prevent traders from using the walkway.”

The Accra Metropolitan Assembly on April 1, 2011 released new bye-laws approved by the Local Government ministry to arrest anyone who engaged in street hawking as well as those who patronized the wares of street hawkers.

By the new laws, no one is allowed to sell any merchandise to a driver of a vehicle or passenger but the laws are yet to be enforced.