Create Conducive Trading Environment for Traders - MP

The MP for Ablekuma Central, Hon Theophilus Tetteh Chaie, has urged the Mayor of Accra to create conditions which will enhance trading activities, the collection of refuse and the installation of traffic lights and street lights in the city.
This, according to the MP, when ensured will ease vehicular traffic and improve the security of the citizenry. The MP who was delivering a statement on the floor of the House yesterday also urged the Mayor , ' to decongest and improve on the sanitation problem in the city and tackle the issue of lorry parks, markets as well as other places been used by prostitutes.'

Hon Chaie, called for the enforcement of sanctions in the bye-laws of the Accra Metropolitan Assembly (AMA) and the sustenance of public education on environmental cleanness adding that the assembly must work with all stakeholders to ensure the success of the exercise.

The MP pointed out that 'the future of children is bleak since indiscipline is killing the country' adding that the 'time is now for bold and pragmatic decisions to be taken to save the sanitation problem which politicians have failed to address head on.'

He appealed to all traders, hawkers and the general public to vacate all unauthorised places in the city to avoid the action to be taken by the assembly. In a contribution, MP for Ablekuma South, Hon Fritz Frederic Baffour, called for a second look at the amount budgeted for the decongestion exercise and the resource of the School of Hygiene.

In another statement to mark this year's National World Environment Day which falls on 5 June, the ranking member of the Parliamentary Select Committee on Environment and MP for Techiman North, Hon C Ameyaw-Akumfi, said 'encouragement should be given to entrepreneur who wish to establish facilities that aim at converting waste into other products as well as energy.'

He also called for the mainstreaming of environmental issues into the country's developmental agenda since they are multisectoral and multidisciplinary in nature. He noted that there is the need to build adequate capacities across the natural resource management related enforcement agencies to ensure compliance with all environmental legislations.

Hon C. Ameyaw-Ekumfi further called for a legislation on the importation of used goods which according to him are creating waste management problems adding that 'we must prevent the use of Ghana as a conduit for the movement of hazardous material to neighboring countries.'

He also called for the need to check pollution and other issues that will arise from the production of oil and gas.