Tema, June 8, GNA - The Tema Municipal Assembly, as part of measures to sustain its decongestion exercise, has embarked on the seizure of structures in the Community One business centre, which have been mounted at unauthorised places. Structures, mainly containers, which were spared during the earlier decongestion of the city due to where they were situated, were also destroyed after some months of grace given to the owners.

A taskforce made up of the Police and TMA Department Control Unit of the Engineers Department is undertaking the decongestion exercise. The Public Relations Officer of the Assembly, Mr Frank Asante, told the GNA that a few months after the cleaning exercise to rid the city of recalcitrant hawkers and unauthorised structures, the Assembly realised that the traders were resurfacing. They had erected temporary structures to display their wares, especially after the peak hours between 0800 and 1700 hours.

Mr Asante said although the Assembly's city guards were deployed to monitor these areas, the traders normally and deliberately waited until after 1700 hours when they had closed, to transact their business till after 12 midnight, thereby blocking pedestrian walkways and preventing the free flow of traffic. He said the traders ignored the Assembly's warning carried out by mobile vans that preceded the exercise and rather took advantage of the Local Government's Minister's directive to assemblies to stop the exercise to do their business.

Six persons, who tried to interfere with the operation by preventing the team from carrying out the exercise, were arrested and would be prosecuted, he said The PRO, however, gave the assurance that the TMA would not relent in its efforts to clear all unsightly structures and called for the collaborative efforts of all residents to achieve that aim.