Hawkers Market Not Yet Operational

Business is yet to pick up at the new 'Pedestrian Shopping Mall' at Odawna in Accra, five days after the Accra Metropolitan Assembly (AMA) cleared traders from streets and pavements to relocate them there.



During a visit to the mall on Wednesday, the Times noted that the stalls were empty, but some of the traders who had been allocated places in the open area of the mall, had displayed their wares for sale.

There has been speculation that some of them are waiting for the mall to be officially opened, but Mr J.Y Appiah, acting Public Relations Officer of the AMA, said the traders have been asked to start business on receipt of their identity cards and not wait for any formal inauguration.

Meanwhile, the distribution of identity cards is on-going, but the process appears to be slow.

At the AMA head office, some of the traders who had gone there to check on their cards said the allocation of the stall should have been completed before they were sent off the streets.

Officials at the AMA however, countered the claims of the traders. They said there was no delay and explained that the process was progressing as planned.

The central business district also remained peaceful and clean. The AMA undertook a massive clean up and decongestion exercise to rid the city of illegal structures last Saturday.

The Times found out that traffic on the road in the district was flowing without any hindrance.

AMA guards, Police and Prisons Service personnel have been positioned at various intersections and on the pavements to ward off hawkers from the pavements.