Hawkers not satisfied with AMA allocations…Say whole exercise is Greek to them...As signing of tenancy agreement begins

PROSPECTIVE TRADERS at the hawkers market yesterday gathered at the Accra Metropolitan Assembly (AMA) to be offered their identity (ID) cards as well as signing their tenancy agreements between each individual hawker and the AMA, their landlord.

The traders, who were present at the office of the Metropolitan Assembly in the their large numbers were disappointed when the whole exercise of the assembly failed to live up to their expectations
This came to light when the Assembly started issuing out its first batch of Identification Cards (ID) to the various hawkers who have gone through the registration process fully.

Besides, the hawkers are expected to sign a tenancy agreement, which they are mandated to adhere to.

The exercise for the hawkers, numbering over thousand to have their tenancy agreements, was peaceful and smooth devoid of the usual hooting and shouting from the hawkers.

The programme is expected to be completed this week to pave the way for the second phase of the decongestion exercise.

The traders were agitated that the form they filled had a portion for next of kin but now the tenancy agreement does not allow any one to take over the stall apart from the person who bears the name and pictures on the identity card.

The traders spelt out their grievances on the unavailability of warehouses at the market, sited at Odawna, Kwame Nkrumah Circle, prone to wee smokers and criminal, and that goods therefore stand the risk of constant robbery because of the non-existence of the warehouses.

Others were of the view that the tenancy agreement, which was being forced on them for thumb printing was Greek to them since they could not read nor write let alone understand the legal terms scripted in the tenancy agreement.

The traders accused AMA that from day one when they were promised by the Mayor of Accra, Mr. Stanley Nii Adjiri Blankson to be granted full rights of ownership of the stall, used to convinced them to move from the streets, has turned out to be a complete fraud and also a stab in the back of their Associations since their leaders were now fully disappointed.