Petty traders kick against decongestion exercise by KMA

Kumasi, Sept. 4, GNA - Some petty traders at the Kumasi Central Business District (CBD), have expressed resentment at the decision by the Kumasi Metropolitan Assembly (KMA) to carry out a decongestion exercise in the metropolis, beginning from Monday, September 7, 2009. They said much as they were not against the exercise, they found the timing wrong since no arrangements had been put in place by the Assembly to resettle them.

The KMA on Tuesday issued a one-week ultimatum to the traders to vacate the pavements and streets.

Mr Samuel Sarpong, the Metropolitan Chief Executive (MCE), told newsmen that the exercise formed part of measures to ensure free vehicular and human movement.

He said the way the streets and pavements had been taken over by the hawkers and petty traders was completely unacceptable and therefore they should be removed.

He said he saw no reason why the traders should refuse to relocate to the Race Course, Kwadaso and the New Tafo satellite markets. Madam Akua Serwaah of the United Petty Traders Association of Ghana told the Ghana News Agency (GNA) that, she was shocked at the KMA's ultimatum.

She said if anything, the Assembly should provide them an alternative location for them to trade. The traders, she said, would hold an emergency meeting at the week-end after, which the leadership would convey its position to the KMA. Mr Dominic Frimpong, a trader, said there was the need for the Assembly to dialogue with them to find a way out. Applying force to evict them, he noted, could be counter-productive. He said they would organise massive demonstrations against their forcible removal from the business district.