By William Yaw Owusu
Thursday, 16 November 2006
THE Kwame Nkrumah Circle branch of the United Petty Traders Association has appealed to the Accra Metropolitan Assembly (AMA) to reduce the fixed charges of ¢2 million and ¢1 million for a shed and space respectively, at the soon-to-be completed Pedestrians Shopping Mall popularly called hawkers market.
The AMA announced the charges last month but the association’s chairman, Mr. Kwaku Sarkodie Acheampong said, "If the amount cannot be reduced to an affordable level then we are appealing to the AMA to allow our members to pay the money by installment".
Mr. Acheampong was speaking at a press conference to react to rumours that their members were not part of the AMA’s arrangement in the allocation of sheds and spaces.
He said the association comprises 14 different groups and was the first to be contacted when the AMA decided to construct the market in order to discourage street hawking.
Mr. Sarkodie said as far back as September 2004, when the AMA informed them of its intention to construct the market, "we were the first group to write to Taysec Construction for their waste product to fill the water logged areas of the project site".
"I will urge all members not to accept rumours that some traders in the central business districts have claimed ownership of the new market and that traders at Nkrumah Circle were not included.
"It is only those who registered that will be given sheds and spaces which members have done in their numbers," he said.
Mr. Acheampong appealed to the AMA to allow the market to operate 24 hours to attract the large number of tourists and visitors during Ghana’s 50th anniversary celebration.
Mr. Acheampong urged members to abide by the AMA’s bye-laws, ensure that there was no indiscriminate disposal of rubbish, pay their taxes promptly and not sell in the streets.
He also urged them to register for the National Health Insurance Scheme and participate in the impending National Identification exercise.
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