AMA to eject recalcitrant traders at Odornaa

Accra, Aug 20, GNA - The Accra Metropolitan Assembly (AMA) has been asked to expedite action on the ejection of traders, who have deserted thei= r stalls and are occupying spaces earmarked for as a parking lot at Odornaa. Miss Bernice Otoo, President of the Novotel Market Traders Association, who made the call in an interview with the Ghana News Agency o= n Thursday, said when the re-allocation was carried out by the AMA, the traders were advised to concentrate their businesses in the market only and not outside it.

She said foodstuffs, who were traders selling behind the Cocoa Marketing Board Headquarters in Accra, but now re-located to the Novotel Market at Odornaa, have been selling their wares at the car park, creating congestion, and preventing the trucks, which brings in goods into the marke= t from entering. She said all efforts by the Association and the AMA to ward them off had proved futile, hence the need for a taskforce to eject them, adding that, their activities has had an effect on the patronage of the few, who still sell in their stalls.

Miss Otoo said to improve the patronage of the market, efforts must be made to clear those selling outside, to pave way for customers to park their cars.

She also expressed concern about the lack of a police station, a day care centre and a clinic, which were part of the original plan for the market. She said the projects were to give the traders and customers access to health facilities, parking lot and adequate security. She appealed to the AMA to beef up security personnel at the market to curb theft, which were rampant and advised the market women not to leave their wares unprotected. Numo Blafo III, Public Relation Officer of the AMA said the assembly had rehabilitated and revived some abandoned markets in Accra to accommodat= e more traders and hawkers, yet many of them still prefer to operate outside the markets and on the streets. He said the consumption of unwholesome foods was widespread, bringing along health problems within the metropolis, saying that, the assembly was battling the situation and warned the traders to occupy their stalls or los= e it.