Hawkers and traders occupying pavements, footbridges, and other open spaces within the capital-Accra have been warned to vacate those areas following an impending decongestion exercise by City officials soon, the Accra Metropolitan Assembly (AMA) has announced.

A statement signed by Sam Ayeh-Dartey, Metro Co-ordinating Director said hawkers and traders must leave these places before 8th January 2018 insisting their continuous activities are a contributory factor to the heaps of garbage deposited along the roads.

“The Assembly wishes to remind the general public that their activities are contrary to the AMA hawkers by-laws of 2011 and section 117 (1) of the road traffic regulations, 2012 (LI 2180).

Also, the AMA is cautioning persons or group of persons who have illegally occupied government reserved lands and areas which have been cleared by the assembly previously to vacate with immediate effect. Especially those along the railway line at Kwame Nkrumah circle, Avenor, parts of Dzorwulu and other areas within the jurisdiction of the AMA.”

It added: “Furthermore, the AMA wishes to emphasise that all those who are plying their trade along the Barnes Roads and the Kwame Nkrumah Avenue from the old Kingsway to NIB illegally to vacate those areas with immediate effect.

The decongestion exercise will be spearheaded by the Metropolitan Security Committee (MESEC). The focus areas for the decongestion exercise are the Central Business District (CBD), Kaneshie market area, NI Highway, the (Mallam-Achimota stretch), Darkuman-Kokompe, Odokor-Kwashieman road, Nima Highway, Agbobloshie, Kwame Nkrumah interchange and its environs.

All are enjoined to support this exercise to make Accra a place where we can all live in and love it.”