Traders temporarily operating on pavements in the Central Business District (CBD) have been warned by Accra Mayor Hon. Michael Kpakpo Allotey not to pay additional costs beyond the official GH₵2 daily market toll levied by the Accra Metropolitan Assembly (AMA).
He clarified that the rule prohibiting additional fees for vendors operating on pavements stemmed from President John Dramani Mahama’s administration’s dedication to safeguarding the weak and impoverished.
In order to ensure adherence to the Assembly’s regulations on street dealing and cleanliness enforcement, as well as to raise awareness among traders regarding unauthorised fee collection, the Mayor delivered the warning on Wednesday during a working visit to the central business district.
Speaking to the vendors, Hon. Allotey voiced alarm over reports of people extorting money from market women and hawkers under the guise of collecting fees on behalf of the Mayor or the Assembly. He also said that such actions were unlawful and advised vendors to avoid paying any unauthorised fees to anyone.
Under President Mahama’s direction, the government acknowledged the difficulties encountered by traders and promised not to place further financial strain on them, according to Hon. Allotey.
The Mayor made it clear that he had not given anyone permission to demand monthly fees or other payments from merchants, and he threatened to prosecute anyone found extorting money.
He encouraged the traders to insist on their official AMA tickets as evidence of payment, reminding them that all Ghanaians, regardless of origin or location, had the right to work without being harassed.
In addition to warning that vendors who sold or displayed their wares on the street would face arrest and prosecution at the recently created Sanitation Court, he reassured the traders that the Assembly was striving to construct respectable and reasonably priced stores to displace hawkers off pavements.
Mr. Gilbert Nii Ankrah, the head of the Public Affairs Unit, Mr. Abeeku Amissah, the Metro Finance Director, and other AMA representatives joined the mayor.
Source: newsthemegh.com