Decongestion: AMA sacks 11 guards for extortion

The Accra Metropolitan Assembly (AMA), has dismissed eleven members of its taskforce for failing to discharge their duties.

They are Theophilus Amar Kwasi, Samuel Nunu, Albert Ayitey, Victor Thompson, Albert Cudjoe, Ebenezer Larbi, Abu Sackey, Emmanuel Nortey Oquaye, Emmanuel Anyidoho, Abubakar Awal and Fatau Yussif.

Head of Public Affairs Mr. Gilbert Nii Ankrah, disclosed this to the media in an interview on the progress made so far on the ongoing decongestion exercise by the Assembly and strategies that had ensured its sustenance since the exercise begun on the 8 January.

He said the 11 guards who were stationed at some specific streets within the Central Business District of Accra were spotted by the Assembly’s monitoring team taking unspecified sum of monies from some traders, loitering and sleeping on duty.

“They were not enforcing the law and this is not acceptable…let me put on record that the AMA will not hesitate to dismiss anyone who is sleeping on the job,” he said.

According to Mr. Ankrah, prior to the exercise, members of the taskforce were warned not to engage in acts which would undermine the sustenance of the exercise.

“People all over the country and beyond are applauding us for the good work done… Our taskforce have been warned not to compromise but remain disciplined. We will not hesitate to dismiss any recalcitrant person who undermines the system,” he said.

He expressed satisfaction with level of compliance by traders and stakeholders and assured that the Assembly would not relent on sustaining the exercise to rid the city of filth, lawlessness and increase mobility.

Mr. Ankrah also commended the police for their support and called on all to rally behind the Assembly to transform Accra into a Smart, Sustainable and Resilient City where we can all “live in and love it.”

The PRO urged traders to abide by the directive and warned that anyone caught going against the metropolitan rules would be dealt with.

“We are calling on all pedestrians to endeavor to use the pavement since it is meant for them,” he averred.

The AMA began the exercise to rid hawkers and traders off pavements and footbridges in the metropolis as part of efforts to decongest the city.

According to the Assembly, the activities of the traders and hawkers impede the flow of vehicular and human traffic and contribute to the heaps of garbage along major streets of the metropolis.

The ongoing exercise being spearheaded by the Metropolitan Security Committee(MESEC), comprising the police, the military and the AMA taskforce, is expected to cover the Central Business District(CBD), Kwame Nkrumah Interchange, Kaneshie Market Area, N1 highway (Lapaz Intersection) among others.