They also called on the AMA and the Police to force traders who have abandoned their sheds in the markets and are selling on the streets to go back into the markets, as they were in violation of Article 117 of the Law.

The President of GAMA, Madam Mercy Needjan, made the call when the Coordinating Director of the AMA, Sam Ayeh-Datey, called on her to inform her about the decongestion exercise scheduled for Monday, January 8, 2018.

She said although the enforcement of the laws would cause some inconvenience to some traders, it would benefit the general populace, adding; “this is a task that must be undertaken at all cost.”

Madam Needjan said the congestion in Accra had caused a lot of inconveniences to both human and vehicular traffic, making it difficult for customers to enter the markets to shop.

She added that it also denied traders in the markets the opportunity to make good sales.

She said the Association would give its full support to the AMA in the course of the exercise to clear the streets of traders, who were exposed to serious health risks from inhaling the fumes of vehicles.

“The stench and the fumes that emanate from the drains could cause a lot of problems to them,” she added.

Madam Needjan advised the market women to support the AMA in its efforts at ensuring sound sanitary practices and safe environments in Accra.

She cautioned them to avoid politicising the exercise since it was in the best interest of all.

Mr Ayeh-Datey said the AMA’s vision for Accra was a cleaner, healthier, safer and more congenial place where residents and visitors could stay and do their businesses with minimum stress and strain.

He said stalls allocated to the traders in the markets had been abandoned with some selling on the streets while others had rented theirs without informing the AMA.

“Whatever the case may be, the squatters on the streets will be ejected to pave way for cars, trucks, and pedestrians to move freely,” he said.

Mr Ayeh-Datey said the exercise would be pursued with renewed vigour while targets would be set and monitored to ensure that no trader was left on the streets of Accra.

Some of the traders in an interview at the Makola Market confirmed that the situation was a major problem in the capital and that the oncoming decongestion exercise would be a great relief.

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Source: GNA

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They have given the Assembly a 12-hour ultimatum to reopen the shops or face their wrath.

[contextly_sidebar id=”qFlqaFc4D2dckefMo5FqnZJEiVUtqww8″]Citi News gathered that, 15 shops in the Central Market, were closed on Thursday, following a misunderstanding between revenue collectors of the KMA and the owners of the shops over the payment of daily tolls.

Some of the traders said the Assembly was charging them GHS 2.00 as market toll each day, instead of an agreed amount of 50 pesewas.

Maame Anima, one of the affected women, told Citi News that they had agreed to pay GHS 1.00 as daily market toll, after a meeting with the heads of the Assembly, but the revenue collectors insisted on taking GHc 2.00 when they went round the stalls on Thursday.

She explained that, one of the revenue collectors physically assaulted a market woman after she refused to pay the GHS 2.00, insisting they had agreed to Ghc 1.00 at a previous meeting.

But the Kumasi Mayor, Osei Assibey Antwi, has discounted claims that the market women are being charged Ghc. 2.00 as market toll.

According to him, the charge is GHS 1.00, and that has been the amount set by the assembly some five years ago, but came into effect in October 2017.

“KMA has not increased the fee. The fee was fixed more than 5 years ago, but we have now enforced it so  we have not increased it. The fee as at the time of Kojo Bonsu, was when the KMA allowed the fee increase of Ghc1.00, but the market leaders pleaded that we give them a moratorium until 2017, and that is exactly what we are doing now,” he told Citi News.

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By: Jonas Nyabor/citifmonline.com/Ghana

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A man was saved by his laptop after a crossbow bolt was fired at him, before being wounded in the head with an axe on his driveway on the New South Wales central coast.

Police have charged a 49-year-old man with attempted murder over the attack, which took place on Tuesday afternoon.

Police say the 56-year-old victim was carrying a laptop on his driveway in Somersby when a man shot a loaded crossbow at him. When the bolt hit the man’s laptop, the attacker ran at the 56-year-old, striking him in the head with an axe.

The pair began to struggle, before another man stepped in to help. The 56-year-old man was taken to hospital with a head wound. The 49-year-old man was arrested and police say they took a crossbow, knives and a piece of wire from him. He was charged with attempted murder and malicious wounding.

The man was refused bail when he appeared at Gosford local court on Wednesday. He is due to appear in court via videolink in September.

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Source: The Guardian

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