AMA Gives Hawkers New Date To Register

By William Yaw Owusu

Friday, 29 December 2006
THE Accra Metropolitan Assembly (AMA) has decided to give a day’s grace period to applicants who have not yet reported for the allocation of stalls and spaces at the newly constructed Pedestrian Shopping Mall at the Kwame Nkrumah Circle in Accra.

A press release signed by I.T. Adjovu, Metropolitan Co-ordinating Director, asked all such applicants to report at the AMA head office on January 8,to undergo the registration formalities.

The registration exercise commenced on November 22, but was immediately, suspended due to a disagreement between the leadership of the various hawkers associations and the AMA over the lists to be used in the allocation.

After three weeks the AMA resumed the registration exercise on December 18, but this time around, it dealt directly with the individual hawkers, by-passing the associations.

In a related development, members of the Ga Traditional Council yesterday inspected the new market. They were accompanied by the Mayor of Accra, Stanley Nii Adjiri Blankson.

They included Nii Adote Obuor II, acting President of the Council, and Nii Kpobi Tettey Tsuru III, La Mantse.

"What we have seen here today shows that we can all support the government to make Accra a very beautiful place to live in," the chiefs said, adding "This is the first time that we are seeing an edifice of this nature in our city.

'We want the government to turn all slums within the city into ventures that will promote the economic growth and bring hope to the people'.

The chiefs commended the government and the AMA for the project and urged them to continue with their efforts to turn all slums in the city in the useful ventures such as the Nkrumah Circle project.

The construction of the market, solely funded by the government, was to afford the AMA the opportunity to decongest the streets of Accra to ensure free flow of traffic. The first phase has been completed and is expected to be opened by January 15.

The AMA says the commencement of the second phase of the project will depend on the level of patronage.

Mr. Blankson gave the assurance that the government will desilt the Odaw drain to ensure, free flow of water into the sea, but he said it will not commence until residents of Sodom and Gomorrah have been relocated.