Hawkers Defy AMA New Bye-Laws

It was a case of defiance as hawkers were still seen on the streets and pavements of Accra selling their wares despite an imposition of a ban on street hawking which took effect from Friday, April 1, by the Accra Metropolitan Assembly (AMA).

Passengers in vehicles were also seen defying the AMA regulations
by buying from hawkers without any prior warning from drivers as
requested by the bye-laws.

When GNA visited the Mallam Junction Lorry Station in Accra,
hawkers were seen selling at the station and on the Mallam-Kasoa
highway as if they were not aware of the new bye-law prohibiting them
from selling on streets.

In an interview with the GNA, Mr Musah Nettey, a Trustee of
Mallam Junction Station, said drivers at the station had been given
enough education on the bye-laws and urged them to be law abiding.
He noted that although it was not ideal to sell on the streets,
people had been compelled to practice street hawking to survive.

Paa Nii, a taxi driver at Mallam Junction Station, commended the
AMA for the new bye-law that would help clear hawkers off the streets
as well as prohibit passengers from throwing rubbish unto the streets
without any punitive measures against them.

He urged the Assembly not to relent in the good work it was doing
but rather ensure that the image of Accra Metropolis was improved to a
befitting status.
“I just hope and pray that this new mission of the Assembly is
not relegated to the background during Election 2012 but rather
continued till the expected results are achieved,” he said.

At the Odorkor Station, Mr Daniel Adokwei, Executive Member of
Odorkor Mother Branch of Ghana Private Road and Transport Union
(GPRTU) of the Trades Union Congress, was of the view that the AMA had
not done much in terms of educating drivers on its new bye-laws.
He called for more education especially for drivers who operated
outside the established lorry stations.

Mr Emmanuel Nortey, a Willowbrook driver, who plied between
Odorkor and Circle, expressed appreciation to the Executive Members of
Circle Branch of GPRTU for distributing bins to their drivers.
According to Maame Ama, a sachet water seller at Odorkor traffic
light, she was not aware of any new bye-law prohibiting them from
selling on the street where offenders would be arrested and
prosecuted.