Traders and hawkers in the Central Business District (CBD) of Kumasi have given hints of their comeback to the streets and pavements after the city authorities demolished their makeshift stalls, kiosks, chairs and wares in a decongestion exercise that began early morning yesterday.
The Kumasi Metropolitan Assembly (KMA) headed by Samuel Sarpong, has long directed the traders who did business on pavements along the principal streets of the city to relocate elsewhere.
The traders returned to their usual businesses early morning on Monday to find combined teams of military, police, city guards and labourers destroying their makeshift structures.
Hundreds of tables and chairs belonging to the traders were also destroyed in the raid at Kejetia, Adum P-Z lane, Doctor Mensah, Alabar and the Zoo area, as part of the efforts to clear the Garden city of congestion, amid tight security.
The decongested areas included the main Kejetia traffic light, the S.A.T. and the Prempeh II Street, Unicorn House, Zuria Fm, Roman Hill and other pavements in Adum.
There was no resistance from the traders as used to be in previous decongestion exercises in the metropolis when dejected hawkers and owners of items wailed and rained curses on officials of KMA on duty.
This was perhaps due to the earlier notification and education on the KMA bye-laws to the traders, coupled with armed military and police personnel on guard.
The decongestion exercise at the CBD and other parts of the city, which was a continuation of the 2009 edition, was meant to clear the traders who preferred doing business on pavements and portions of the road network, Clement Kegeri, spokesperson of the out-going KMA boss told DAILY GUIDE.
According to him, there was the need to ensure free-flow of both human and vehicular traffic in the city, making the exercise important as part of a move to beautify the city, which has become the revolving door of investors and travellers.
He stated that many of the traders whose makeshift stalls, tables and chairs were destroyed, were recalcitrant, hinting of prosecution of offenders after the exercise.
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