Give Us the Market Space - Hawkers

The Positive Traders Association of Ghana (POTGA) a non-governmental organisation serving the interest of hawkers and petty traders within the Accra metropolis has appealed to the Accra Metropolitan Assembly (AMA) to be lenient following the recent threat by the Authority to eject them from the streets.

Speaking at a press conference in Accra on Friday, the Chairman of POTGA, Mr. Abraham Sarfo pleaded with the AMA to expedite the process of allocating them a suitable place.

"AMA is indeed working hard around the clock to allocate us some space, we humbly plead with them to speed up a little. Our entire destines are at stake."

Mr. Sarfo said their members are ready to leave only if the AMA allocates them space. He said it is not true that there is a lot of space in the markets and added that the executive is doing all within its strength to find a place for hawkers and petty traders.

"There is talk that there are spaces in the markets [but] the markets are full and overstretched. People would be made redundant by this exercise, and there are over 10,000 in the central business district alone."

He suggested that since some of the pavements are large enough to accommodate both pedestrians and traders the city authorities should allow them to sell on such pavements. According to him if the AMA gives attention to proposals by the organisation the rising tide of hawkers and petty traders will reduce drastically.

He lamented that most often the issues concerning traders have not been addressed and called on the government to heed to their call. "Our activities at times incur the displeasure of the public, who criticise us bitterly. On one side they are justified because they find it extremely difficult getting to their destinations on time."