Accra, April 1, GNA - It was a case of defiance as hawkers were still seen on the streets and pavements of Accra selling their wares despite an imposition of a ban on street hawking which took effect from Friday, April 1, by the Accra Metropolitan Assembly (AMA). Passengers in vehicles were also seen defying the AMA regulations by buying from hawkers without any prior warning from drivers as requested by the bye-laws.

When GNA visited the Mallam Junction Lorry Station in Accra, hawkers were seen selling at the station and on the Mallam-Kasoa highway as if they were not aware of the new bye-law prohibiting them from selling on streets. In an interview with the GNA, Mr Musah Nettey, a Trustee of Mallam Junction Station, said drivers at the station had been given enough education on the bye-laws and urged them to be law abiding. He noted that although it was not ideal to sell on the streets, people had been compelled to practice street hawking to survive. Paa Nii, a taxi driver at Mallam Junction Station, commended the AMA for the new bye-law that would help clear hawkers off the streets as well as prohibit passengers from throwing rubbish unto the streets without any punitive measures against them. He urged the Assembly not to relent in the good work it was doing but rather ensure that the image of Accra Metropolis was improved to a befitting status.

"I just hope and pray that this new mission of the Assembly is not relegated to the background during Election 2012 but rather continued till the expected results are achieved," he said. At the Odorkor Station, Mr Daniel Adokwei, Executive Member of Odorkor Mother Branch of Ghana Private Road and Transport Union (GPRTU) of the Trades Union Congress, was of the view that the AMA had not done much in terms of educating drivers on its new bye-laws. He called for more education especially for drivers who operated outside the established lorry stations.

Mr Emmanuel Nortey, a Willowbrook driver, who plied between Odorkor and Circle, expressed appreciation to the Executive Members of Circle Branch of GPRTU for distributing bins to their drivers. According to Maame Ama, a sachet water seller at Odorkor traffic light, she was not aware of any new bye-law prohibiting them from selling on the street where offenders would be arrested and prosecuted.