The Accra Metropolitan Assembly (AMA) has issued a two-day ultimatum to all traders and those engaged in any form of activity at unauthorized places at old Fadama, popularly known as Agbogbloshie in Accra, to vacate or be forced out.
Chief Executive of the AMA, Mohammed Adjei Sowah, explained the intended decongestion exercise is to pave the way for a sustained sanitation drive within the area.
Old Fadama is one of the densely populated communities in Accra, and noted as one of the food hubs in the capital.
Traders and others who engaged in varying activities have taken over the streets and all other available spaces, leading to congestion and insanitary conditions.
Tomatoes, Onions and other vegetable sellers have taken over the entire pavement. Some cabbage sellers and other traders have even gone beyond the gutter to display their wares on the main road at some points.
These have often left the gutters chocked all year round as the traders turned them into their dumping grounds, an attitude the AMA boss will not tolerate.
“By Monday when I’m coming, I’m coming with full force; I’ll clamp the vehicles that have parked on the way and the onion that you have displayed on the ground. We’re going to talk them away”, Sowah warned.
He said nothing will stop the intended action, indicating not even political affiliation whatsoever would cause them to stop.
“The scrap dealers, they love displaying NDC and NPP flags, that’s very good but when I come I’m coming in the name of Ghana. Continue to do your scrap business but don’t bring your scraps into the streets or into the gutter,” he cautioned.
He said if his taskforce finds debris in gutters near where some people operate, those around would be summoned.
Mr. Sowah has meanwhile called for support in executing the agenda of changing perceptions about Old Fadama.
“And I want you all to support me so that you’ll also change the perceptions people have about all of us because I’m also a proud member of the Old Fadama community” he said.
The Chief Executive said he was also concerned about the health of the people who come to buy food items, saying “the onion is food people come to buy and you have to display the onion on the ground for people to buy”.
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