AMA ‘fires’ PRO over decision on eviction of hawkers

Officials of the Accra Metropolitan Assembly (AMA) are knocking one another’s head over the fight against street hawking in Accra.

They have been caught in the web of contradictions and denials over the long running battle against street hawkers who have become an albatross around the neck of city authorities.

 

While in last Friday’s Daily Graphic, the Public Relations Officer of the AMA, Numo Blafo II, said the assembly had decided to let go its resolve to evict petty traders from the streets of the Central Business District (CBD) because it was an exercise in futility and a waste of resources, the co-ordinating director of the assembly has punched holes into the claims.

“It is rather unfortunate for management to come in to debunk the misguided statement by the Public Relations Officer (PRO) of the assembly,” Mr Sam Ayeh Datey said in a press statement.

“It must be noted that the PRO did not consult management before his interaction with the press.”

The statement said that the impression the publication purported to carry was false and did not reflect management’s policy and decision. 

The CDB, Tudu, the Independence Avenue, Kinbu, the Derby Avenue, Okaishie, Kaneshie and the Kwame Nkrumah Circle are notorious for huge street hawking.

There are many ills concerning street hawking in Accra. The hawkers block pedestrian walkways, thereby forcing people on foot to walk on the roads, a situation that exposes pedestrians and other road users to all forms of motor accidents.

Apart from the filth they create and the mountains of refuse they generate on a daily basis,they are part of the gridlock that grips the city daily. 

Numo Blafo had told the Daily Graphic in an interview that the petty traders usually returned to the CBD within days after the eviction exercise.

The reason, he said, was that the AMA did not have enough security officers (metro guards) to prevent the petty traders from going back to the streets.

Street hawking still illegal 

But in a sharp rebuttal, Mr Datey said, “It must be taken with all certainty that the AMA has absolutely not given up on the traders who, for their private parochial interests, have hijacked our public spaces; that is, roads, pavements, pedestrian walkways and streets meant for pedestrians and vehicles in the city.”

“The hawkers’ activities are still considered illegal and unapproved, since they pose enormous challenges to the ordinary citizens of the city,” the statement said.

Making a case against street hawking, it said the “activities of the hawkers created congestion in the city for which miscreants and rogues utilise as safe haven to steal and harass innocent citizens”.

“It is also worth registering that most of the hawkers have at least a shop/stall or two in some of the markets but have deliberately refused to operate from their shops but rather on the streets and pavements,” it said.

Over the years, the traders have insisted that although the AMA considered their stay on the street illegal, the assembly continued to collect levies and taxes from them.

But the statement debunked the claim, saying “they do not pay any levy to the assembly or the government”.

Modernisation of selected markets 

Numo Blafo had said the AMA had realised that one of the main reasons for the recalcitrant nature of the petty traders was that they could not secure spaces at the various markets.

As a result, the AMA PRO had said the assembly would, through a public/private partnership (PPP), begin the reconstruction of 13 selected markets in Accra, beginning June 2015, to accommodate petty traders in the CBD.

The selected markets include the Makola, Salaga, Mallam, Nima, Mamobi and Mallam Atta markets. There will be stores, stalls and sheds.

While acknowledging that the AMA was at advanced stages of a PPP arrangement to construct and rehabilitate the selected markets, he said the assembly would not renege on its responsibilities of ensuring public safety in market areas, no matter how much it cost. 

The statement said the AMA was committed to ensuring that each street and pavement was safe for commuters, as evident in Accra’s recognition by Blomberg Foundation as one of the resilient cities of the world.

It urged the assembly’s stakeholders to support its efforts to make Accra a better place for all. 

The politics of street hawking 

Petty traders constitute a big constituency and, therefore, wield massive votes which are solicited for by all political parties in national elections.

As a result, successive governments see the eviction of petty traders from the streets as political suicide.

Officials of the Accra Metropolitan Assembly (AMA) are knocking one another’s head over the fight against street hawking in Accra.

They have been caught in the web of contradictions and denials over the long running battle against street hawkers who have become an albatross around the neck of city authorities.
While in last Friday’s Daily Graphic, the Public Relations Officer of the AMA, Numo Blafo II, said the assembly had decided to let go its resolve to evict petty traders from the streets of the Central Business District (CBD) because it was an exercise in futility and a waste of resources, the co-ordinating director of the assembly has punched holes into the claims.
“It is rather unfortunate for management to come in to debunk the misguided statement by the Public Relations Officer (PRO) of the assembly,” Mr Sam Ayeh Datey said in a press statement.
“It must be noted that the PRO did not consult management before his interaction with the press.”
The statement said that the impression the publication purported to carry was false and did not reflect management’s policy and decision.
The CDB, Tudu, the Independence Avenue, Kinbu, the Derby Avenue, Okaishie, Kaneshie and the Kwame Nkrumah Circle are notorious for huge street hawking.
There are many ills concerning street hawking in Accra. The hawkers block pedestrian walkways, thereby forcing people on foot to walk on the roads, a situation that exposes pedestrians and other road users to all forms of motor accidents.
Apart from the filth they create and the mountains of refuse they generate on a daily basis,they are part of the gridlock that grips the city daily.
Numo Blafo had told the Daily Graphic in an interview that the petty traders usually returned to the CBD within days after the eviction exercise.
The reason, he said, was that the AMA did not have enough security officers (metro guards) to prevent the petty traders from going back to the streets.

Street hawking still illegal 

But in a sharp rebuttal, Mr Datey said, “It must be taken with all certainty that the AMA has absolutely not given up on the traders who, for their private parochial interests, have hijacked our public spaces; that is, roads, pavements, pedestrian walkways and streets meant for pedestrians and vehicles in the city.”
“The hawkers’ activities are still considered illegal and unapproved, since they pose enormous challenges to the ordinary citizens of the city,” the statement said.
Making a case against street hawking, it said the “activities of the hawkers created congestion in the city for which miscreants and rogues utilise as safe haven to steal and harass innocent citizens”.
“It is also worth registering that most of the hawkers have at least a shop/stall or two in some of the markets but have deliberately refused to operate from their shops but rather on the streets and pavements,” it said.
Over the years, the traders have insisted that although the AMA considered their stay on the street illegal, the assembly continued to collect levies and taxes from them.
But the statement debunked the claim, saying “they do not pay any levy to the assembly or the government”.

Modernisation of selected markets 

Numo Blafo had said the AMA had realised that one of the main reasons for the recalcitrant nature of the petty traders was that they could not secure spaces at the various markets.
As a result, the AMA PRO had said the assembly would, through a public/private partnership (PPP), begin the reconstruction of 13 selected markets in Accra, beginning June 2015, to accommodate petty traders in the CBD.
The selected markets include the Makola, Salaga, Mallam, Nima, Mamobi and Mallam Atta markets. There will be stores, stalls and sheds.
While acknowledging that the AMA was at advanced stages of a PPP arrangement to construct and rehabilitate the selected markets, he said the assembly would not renege on its responsibilities of ensuring public safety in market areas, no matter how much it cost.
The statement said the AMA was committed to ensuring that each street and pavement was safe for commuters, as evident in Accra’s recognition by Blomberg Foundation as one of the resilient cities of the world.
It urged the assembly’s stakeholders to support its efforts to make Accra a better place for all.

The politics of street hawking 

Petty traders constitute a big constituency and, therefore, wield massive votes which are solicited for by all political parties in national elections.
As a result, successive governments see the eviction of petty traders from the streets as political suicide.

- See more at: http://graphic.com.gh/news/general-news/39066-ama-fires-pro-over-decision-on-eviction-of-hawkers.html#sthash.zzVQgxSQ.dpuf

Officials of the Accra Metropolitan Assembly (AMA) are knocking one another’s head over the fight against street hawking in Accra.

They have been caught in the web of contradictions and denials over the long running battle against street hawkers who have become an albatross around the neck of city authorities.
While in last Friday’s Daily Graphic, the Public Relations Officer of the AMA, Numo Blafo II, said the assembly had decided to let go its resolve to evict petty traders from the streets of the Central Business District (CBD) because it was an exercise in futility and a waste of resources, the co-ordinating director of the assembly has punched holes into the claims.
“It is rather unfortunate for management to come in to debunk the misguided statement by the Public Relations Officer (PRO) of the assembly,” Mr Sam Ayeh Datey said in a press statement.
“It must be noted that the PRO did not consult management before his interaction with the press.”
The statement said that the impression the publication purported to carry was false and did not reflect management’s policy and decision.
The CDB, Tudu, the Independence Avenue, Kinbu, the Derby Avenue, Okaishie, Kaneshie and the Kwame Nkrumah Circle are notorious for huge street hawking.
There are many ills concerning street hawking in Accra. The hawkers block pedestrian walkways, thereby forcing people on foot to walk on the roads, a situation that exposes pedestrians and other road users to all forms of motor accidents.
Apart from the filth they create and the mountains of refuse they generate on a daily basis,they are part of the gridlock that grips the city daily.
Numo Blafo had told the Daily Graphic in an interview that the petty traders usually returned to the CBD within days after the eviction exercise.
The reason, he said, was that the AMA did not have enough security officers (metro guards) to prevent the petty traders from going back to the streets.

Street hawking still illegal 

But in a sharp rebuttal, Mr Datey said, “It must be taken with all certainty that the AMA has absolutely not given up on the traders who, for their private parochial interests, have hijacked our public spaces; that is, roads, pavements, pedestrian walkways and streets meant for pedestrians and vehicles in the city.”
“The hawkers’ activities are still considered illegal and unapproved, since they pose enormous challenges to the ordinary citizens of the city,” the statement said.
Making a case against street hawking, it said the “activities of the hawkers created congestion in the city for which miscreants and rogues utilise as safe haven to steal and harass innocent citizens”.
“It is also worth registering that most of the hawkers have at least a shop/stall or two in some of the markets but have deliberately refused to operate from their shops but rather on the streets and pavements,” it said.
Over the years, the traders have insisted that although the AMA considered their stay on the street illegal, the assembly continued to collect levies and taxes from them.
But the statement debunked the claim, saying “they do not pay any levy to the assembly or the government”.

Modernisation of selected markets 

Numo Blafo had said the AMA had realised that one of the main reasons for the recalcitrant nature of the petty traders was that they could not secure spaces at the various markets.
As a result, the AMA PRO had said the assembly would, through a public/private partnership (PPP), begin the reconstruction of 13 selected markets in Accra, beginning June 2015, to accommodate petty traders in the CBD.
The selected markets include the Makola, Salaga, Mallam, Nima, Mamobi and Mallam Atta markets. There will be stores, stalls and sheds.
While acknowledging that the AMA was at advanced stages of a PPP arrangement to construct and rehabilitate the selected markets, he said the assembly would not renege on its responsibilities of ensuring public safety in market areas, no matter how much it cost.
The statement said the AMA was committed to ensuring that each street and pavement was safe for commuters, as evident in Accra’s recognition by Blomberg Foundation as one of the resilient cities of the world.
It urged the assembly’s stakeholders to support its efforts to make Accra a better place for all.

The politics of street hawking 

Petty traders constitute a big constituency and, therefore, wield massive votes which are solicited for by all political parties in national elections.
As a result, successive governments see the eviction of petty traders from the streets as political suicide.

- See more at: http://graphic.com.gh/news/general-news/39066-ama-fires-pro-over-decision-on-eviction-of-hawkers.html#sthash.zzVQgxSQ.dpuf