Speaking on Eyewitness News, the Metropolitan Chief Executive of the AMA, Mohammed Adjei Sowah, said uniformed personnel would be deployed to the area to commence the process.

[contextly_sidebar id=”aRRoFQ3o9R5kdU8Z2UfOtOI4VODpXCCu”]“The company that we have engaged the services to execute this, I am aware that they will start operating [today, Tuesday] in the Adabraka enclave,” he stated.

Last week, the AMA served notice to businesses within Accra of its intention to charge them for using specific streets that will be earmarked for parking of vehicles.

Car owners are expected to buy a sticker for GHc8 to allow them to park on designated spaces along the streets in the metropolis, and subsequently pay an amount of GHc4 every day per vehicle.

Other guests visiting companies who park in those allotted spaces and do not have the stickers will pay GHc2 for every two hours.

The letter to the companies, which was signed by the Metro Coordinating Director, Sam Ayeh-Dartey, said the Assembly had granted private firm, Messrs Colums Park Investment, the right to collect the monies for “on-street parking” within the Adabraka area in the Osu Klottey sub-metro beginning January 2018.

Levy to extend to Osu

Mr. Adjei Sowah assured that adequate studies have been carried out before the rolling out of this programme.

He also said, “at the moment, we are still doing the studies at Osu. When we finish, we will extend the services also to Osu.”

Failure to comply with the stipulated directives will result in charges significantly higher than the daily levies.

“Once you fail [to pay the levies], towing vehicles will tow your vehicle, and once we tow your vehicle to the Accra Metropolitan Assembly yard, the charges are going to be a bit higher,” the AMA boss warned.

Resistance from Adabraka car owners

But some vehicle owners at Adabraka have vowed to resist the levies which they consider too high.

According to them, they AMA’s levy is unnecessary, considering that they already pay other tolls imposed by the assembly.

We’re open to negotiation – AMA

The Accra Metropolitan Assembly [AMA],  however says it is open to some negotiations with companies within Adabraka that may want to offer some relief to their workers or patrons when the collection of on-street parking levy starts.

The Metropolitan Chief Executive of the AMA, Mohammed Adjei Sowah, noted on Eyewitness News that even the Ghana Revenue Authority [GRA] office in Adabraka, had written to the Assembly for some reprieve.

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By: Delali Adogla-Bessa/citifmonline.com/Ghana

The post Collection of on-street parking levy in Adabraka begins today appeared first on Citi 97.3 FM - Relevant Radio. Always.

The exercise, which began on the Ring Road stretch, is expected to continue to Korle-Bu and its environs.

Billboards and signage causing clutter and congestion at traffic intersections and junctions are expected to be removed.

Flagpoles placed on pedestrian walkways have also been earmarked for removal by the AMA personnel.

In 2017, the AMA gave indications it was putting steps in place to sanitise advertising spaces by removing haphazardly-placed billboards and unpermitted signage.

Some of these billboards have been described as threats to public safety because of a number of incidents involving them collapsing onto people and property.

This exercise follows efforts by the AMA to clear unauthorised structures and hawkers off pavements in the metropolis earlier in January.

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By: Michael Ogbodu/citifmonline.com/Ghana

The post AMA removes unauthorised billboards in Accra [Photos] appeared first on Citi 97.3 FM - Relevant Radio. Always.

The AMA has asked GHA to take the removal of all illegal structures seriously.

[contextly_sidebar id=”8SySw35o4PUxz20dh3t9el9pdwjeBtGk”]Speaking to the press after a tour of some sub-metros, the Chief Executive of AMA, Mohammed Adjei Sowah, said AMA is going to collaborate with GHA to ensure implementation of any decision taken by GHA in the clearing of these structures.

“We think that the Ghana Highway Authority should also step up, every government agency should step up and do your work, because once these things happen, the people of Accra do not know GHA, so we have to make sure they also step up. When we went there, we saw that GHA has marked a lot of the structures, ‘GHA remove’, and then they abandoned it, so we are going to collaborate with them to ensure that whatever decision is taken is implemented to the fullest,” he said.

According to the AMA, most dwellers in these structures have refused to relocate, although GHA has ordered them to move.

Mohammed Adjei Sowah said the Assembly will engage the highways Authority to ensure that action is taken to keep the city clean.

The Ministry of Roads And Highways has already vowed to evict squatters dotted along the along the Accra-Tema Motorway.

It said it expects to complete the exercise before April 2018, to pave way for the expansion of the highway.

This was the indication given by the Minister, Kwasi Amoako-Atta, who told Citi News that the move will ensure a quick expansion of the motorway.

“We are going to expand the motorway from the current 4 lanes to 6 lanes. It will take about 30 months because it will be under construction this year. We need to create the right of way and clear everybody for the contractor to carry out this work. [This will be] up to the end of March. Announcements will come [to that effect]. We are going to clear the squatters on both sides,” Kwasi Amoako-Atta said.

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By: Farida Yusif/citifmonline.com/Ghana

The post AMA urges Highways Authority to demolish illegal structures along Motorway appeared first on Citi 97.3 FM - Relevant Radio. Always.

Mr. Adjei Sowah urged victims of these rogue revenue collectors to report to the AMA office for possible investigations.

“I will tell you that there are people who are allegedly issuing out fake tickets. So we will investigate and probably that will help us to find out who even issued the tickets to them, whether the person has authority to do so or not,” the MCE stated on Eyewitness News.

His comments follow claims from some traders that they were issued receipts granting them permission to sell their wares on pavements in the metropolis after paying certain amounts to the alleged officials of the Assembly.

They trooped to the premises of Citi FM on Wednesday to complain about what they also described as unfair treatment from the AMA after their wares were seized during the decongestion exercise.

The traders showed receipts from the AMA, which they said were issued, granting them permission to sell at places deemed inappropriate.

The AMA boss explained that there were different categories of revenue collectors, including AMA staff and others private collectors on contract.

“I agree that all of them may be acting for and on behalf of the AMA but sometimes, some of the private collectors that are in the system, because of the fact they want money because they get commissions, they relax and issue out tickets to people who are they are not supposed to.”

“I will not deny the fact that somebody has collected money from anybody at the roadside but anybody selling on the roadside knows very well that they are plying their trade at an illegal place… There are people who even present themselves as military men, doctors and policemen in town. There are imposters in town. So I will not deny the fact that possibly, there could somebody who goes around as an AMA official,” the MCE said.

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By: Delali Adogla-Bessa/citifmonline.com/Ghana

The post AMA to fish out ‘fake’ revenue collectors taking traders’ monies appeared first on Citi 97.3 FM - Relevant Radio. Always.

They trooped to the premises of Citi FM on Wednesday to complain about what they also described as unfair treatment from the AMA.

The traders showed receipts from the AMA, which they said were issued, granting them permission to sell on the streets of the Metropolis.

“We pay 50 pesewas all the time. We have packed a lot of tickets,” one of them said.

Thus, they accused the city authorities of bad faith after the seizure some of their wares.

Mercy Zadake, who led the traders, told Citi News that she and her colleagues were pleading they be at least given their goods back.

“We are pleading with the government. They should have pity on use. We’ll even come and carry our things ourselves,” she said.

“They [AMA] seized our wares and take them to thier office. They should have been patient. It is so frustrating to get them [our wares] back even if you are fortunate enough.”

“We pay our tolls regularly so they should please let us be or how else will we pay our children’s school fees. These are not small [school] fees. How am I going to pay?” she pleaded.

The Metropolitan Chief Executive of the AMA, Mohammed Adjei Sowah, on Monday led a team of officers from the Assembly, including metro guards and police officers, to clear hawkers off pavements in the metropolis.

The activities of the hawkers and the traders on the shoulders of roads and on pavements are noted to impede human and vehicular traffic.

This also contributes to the waste build-up along streets.

While confiscating some wares and materials belonging to traders, the team locked up some businesses that were operating illegally and those that had been sited at unapproved places.

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By: Michael Ogbodu & Delali Adogla-Bessa/ctifmonline.com/Ghana

The post Release our seized wares – Traders plead with AMA appeared first on Citi 97.3 FM - Relevant Radio. Always.

The Assembly says advertisers who refuse to pay the levies will be punished in accordance with law.

[contextly_sidebar id=”kpdjCWRsy7oXZLKq7uK9KTXXAejlio3x”]The Chairman of the Revenue Sub-committee of AMA, Robert Kwame Dadzie, who spoke to the media after a tour of some advertising companies within the metropolis, said the advertisers have for the past 8 months failed to make the mandatory payments to the AMA.

“We’ve been chasing them for more than eight months now. This company, for example, owes us GH¢163,682.24 from 2016. If you add this year’s to it, it makes it 210,818.24, and this woman couldn’t pay a pesewa. When I called her last week to come and pay up because we’re in the last quarter of the year, you should have seen how she dealt with me; she spoke to me like I was a small boy,” he said.

“By Friday, if they fail to pay our money to us, Saturday and Sunday, we’ll bring every billboard down because once we make the place ready for you to do your advert and take your money, it is your responsibility to come and pay us. So if you fail to pay us, then we have every obligation to take action against you,” he added.

Robert Dadzie said he had given the defaulters enough time to pay the debt, but they are yet to do so hence the threat.

“Before we do things like this, we call all the clients in the system. Two months ago, I began this operation;  I made sure to call everybody to come and pay. So, I am sending a signal to them … at the end of this week, on Friday, they will see us coming, and there should be no excuse; no one can stop us,” he said.

Advertisers who mount billboards within the metropolis are expected to pay a levy to the Assembly for putting up the structure after obtaining a permit.

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By: Akosua Ofewaa Opoku/citifmonline.com/Ghana

The post AMA issues 3-day ultimatum to defaulting advertisers appeared first on Citi 97.3 FM - Relevant Radio. Always.

Motorists in nice cars throw water sachets out of their windows yet look down on tro-tro passengers who do the same. SMH. We just don’t care!

The fact that, between Accra Metropolitan Assembly and the Ministry of Sanitation, we have not seen any discernible difference in the state of Accra’s sanitation over the last 3 months (I even gave them a grace period of 3 months to settle into their respective roles) is a serious indictment on both agencies.

I hope that the newly created Ministry of Monitoring and Evaluation is keeping track of the situation. People keep saying that attitudinal change is required of residents but I strongly disagree. I think law enforcement is needed first!

The average Ghanaian will just let things slide until they are COMPELLED and/or PENALIZED to do the right thing. Confession time, I am a total Borla Tyrant in my own compound and I do not hesitate to pick up discarded water sachets and take away packs on the road as I walk around my area. As and when the need arises, I personally unclog the gutters in front of my house.

And I expect and demand the same of those who work for me or live near me. But it is not my job! I do it simply because I choose not to live in filthy surroundings exposing me and my family to disease.

However, like many other city residents, I pay a monthly fee to have a company that is officially contracted, mandated and PAID, collect my waste and generally help keep my neighbourhood clean.

They are irregular and mediocre at best.

You and I elect MPs to pass legislation that will benefit the nation (and by default, their constituencies) and we elect governments who campaign (and win) on their promise to work towards improving the standard of living, health and education of every single citizen.

The structures and systems exist, and have done so for decades … why can they/we not get it right? How much longer do they need? Every time I hear the presenters on various radio stations read/quote from the National Sanitation Policy I fume inwardly.

We know better so we should and can do better. Till then, I and other concerned Citizens may be merely “shouting into the wind” but we will not keep quiet … CLEAN GHANA NOW!!

By: Sara Asafu-Adjaye

The post Enough is enough; clean Accra now [Article] appeared first on Citi 97.3 FM - Relevant Radio. Always.

The Diamond Pub and Grill is among other structures lying within the East Legon Green Belt zone which have been earmarked for demolition by the assembly.

In a Facebook post, Shatta Michy describes the assembly’s decision to pull down her pub within a week as a major contributor to joblessness in Ghana.

“It’s only in Ghana that a young lady would try to do something for herself, encourage other young ladies to do same no matter how small and she ends up being fought from all angles. Stronger forever,” she wrote on Facebook.

Michy added that all these trials and challenges will not stop her from achieving her goals in life and she intends to inspire other young ladies with her works.

“I’m 24, I have my businesses, my education, my wonderful family, and I’m grinding still, there’s money to be made on these streets and nothing will stop me and my fellow young ladies who are willing to make it out here. You can’t break me. Try something else,” she stated.

About four months ago, the young showbiz personality and wife of dance hall colossus Shatta Wale was ridiculed for putting up a container pub. Her critics said the container pub was unbecoming of her status.

Shatta Michy who got married to Shatta Wale few years ago was recently featured on her husband’s ‘Tempo,’ one of the hit songs in the country at present.

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By: Kwame Dadzie/citifmonlne.com/Ghana

The post Nothing will stop me – Shatta Michy tells AMA appeared first on Citi 97.3 FM - Relevant Radio. Always.

According to the Director of Public Relations of the AMA, Numo Blafo III, recent attacks and threats by traders at the Kwame Nkrumah Circle interchange will not deter the assembly from sanitizing the city through the implementation of its bye-laws.

[contextly_sidebar id=”Yw3FdofFTUznBWH5Bw1g1JoMZVifQO1Z”]His comment comes on the back of reports of physical attacks carried out by some hawkers on officials of the AMA task-force in the area.

“We are resolute that they [the hawkers] will never come back on the pavements; after all the pavements are meant for the pedestrians and that is what we will make sure it is used for. It is not a trading post meant for trading activities. And we are going to make sure that the pavements in the metropolis are not turned into markets,” he said.

Four officials of the Accra Metropolitan Assembly (AMA) working at the Kwame Nkrumah Circle interchange in Accra, were earlier this week attacked by some angry traders at the Kwame Nkrumah circle.

The traders unleashed their physical aggression on the officials when they tried to evict them from the pavement on Tuesday evening

Numo Blafo III said such attacks must be condemned, and called on the media to support the assembly to fight such happenings.

He reiterated the assembly’s commitment to rid the city of human and vehicular congestion caused by trading activities conducted on pavements.

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By: Jonas Nyabor/citifmonline.com/Ghana

The post We’ll evict hawkers despite attacks on task-force members appeared first on Citi 97.3 FM - Relevant Radio. Always.

Speaking on Eyewitness News, the AMA Chief Executive, Mohammed Nii Adjei Sowah, said residents must instead be compelled to deal with their refuse.

“The Assembly’s position is that, we are going to use that platform to enforce our bylaws.”

[contextly_sidebar id=”IfZdDRFkAAqn3lEnCViFy9qTeAMUe6Uj”]The next Sanitation Day is this Saturday, on June 3, and Mr. Adjei Sowah said various Assembly personnel will be deployed to ensure that residents comply with sanitation bylaws.

“So on Saturday, we are mobilising all our district and environmental health officials. There are about 160 of them and we will zoom into the Ablekuma Central area and they are going to people’s houses to check whether they have really evacuated all their refuse from the places and disposed them.”

The name “Sanitation Day” will even be a thing of the past in the Accra Metropolis, according to Mr. Adjei Sowah, who added that “we are going to enforce the sanitation bylaws on that day. So I am changing it in my district to Sanitation Enforcement Day.

The AMA MCE was adamant that, the sanitation conditions within the various communities were the responsibility of the residents, and not the AMA.

“I am not excited to come to your community to come and clean up your houses and gutters for you. Once in a while, we will do that; but it is not my responsibility. It is your responsibility,” Mr. Adjei Sowah stated.

Since November 1, 2014, the first Saturday of every month was earmarked as National Sanitation Day across Ghana.

The Ministry of Local Government and Rural Development initiative was declared in response to a major cholera outbreak that year.

On the day, Ghanaians engage in a voluntary clean-up exercise in an effort to reduce unsanitary conditions that breed diseases and causes flooding.

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By: Delali Adogla-Bessa/citifmonline.com/Ghana

The post AMA to focus on enforcing bylaws on Sanitation Day – Adjei Sowah appeared first on Citi 97.3 FM - Relevant Radio. Always.