The Western Regional Security Council has dismissed claims by traders in the Central Business District of Takoradi that they are being sabotaged by the Regional Coordinating Council’s task force.
Traders of the Central Business District of Takoradi had asked the Regional Minister, Mr. Paul Evans Aidoo to intervene in their dispute with the Sekondi-Takoradi Metropolitan Assembly (STMA).
The Traders had pleaded to the minister to halt efforts made by the assembly to evict them for the pavements in the district, where they sell.
But speaking to Citi News, Mr. Aidoo said the assembly’s actions were commendable.
He explained his sentiments by outlining the dangers in the Traders selling at those locations.
He said, “we were told that they were selling when security guards came after them. When we arrived, we realized that they were selling at the entrance of the gate.”
“They were selling foodstuffs very close to the public toilet. We decided we will not allow them to sell there because if there is an epidemic, we will be blamed.
The crime rate was too high.
Ladies were getting their bags stolen on the walkway, so we said no one should sell in the walkways. So we allocated places for them to sell. If a disaster or fire were to happen in the market now, the walkways are the main exits of the market. If it is crowded with sellers, the entire market with the people inside it would burn and that is bad,” he added.
By Ewurabena Hagan/citifmonline.com/Ghana
Follow @ewurabenaGH