Pedestrians in Madina, near the national capital, Accra, have expressed concern over their walkways which has been taken over by commercial cars and traders.
This, according to them, has affected their movement, the purpose for which the walkway was constructed.
When the Ghanaian Times visited the area on Thursday, the roads from ‘Masalachi’ (Mosque) to ‘Zongo Junction’, had been taken over by cars and traders who were selling their products on the bare floor as cars ran through, making movement for pedestrians difficult.
Some drivers took comfort in parking their cars on the pathway as they fixed their faulty cars, while other drivers slept and relaxed in their cars awaiting passengers.
Again, it was observed that, taxi drivers were forced to park their cars on pedestrian lanes due to the unavailability of a taxi station.
Some traders, pedestrians and drivers from Madina spoke to the Ghanaian Times and expressed their concerns about the situation.
Mrs Agnes Kumi, a trader interviewed said, “Though we have been waiting for the new market to be constructed and it is finally done, the taxes for the space where we are supposed to display our wares are huge and we cannot afford it, and that is the reason for our continuous stay on the walkways”.
Mr Asante Agyekum, a pedestrian, said “it has been long since these cars parked here and it has been difficult accessing the streets as we are daily faced with the heavy loads from the kayayei, truck pushers and the crashes from car.
He added that“if these cars are given stations with strict rules laid out for them movement would be more flexible”.
Mr Kwabena Gyamina, a driver said “The vendors are not ready to leave to give us space to operate freely so we would be here and because the market is close to us, which is why we have parked here in order to pick people and their goods to their destination”.
Mr Joshua Oppong, a phone dealer, said“The AMA conducted an exercise to relocate the traders to the new market but the exercise was not followed up and this has made the traders return, disturbing lives”.
A driver who gave his name as Mr George Asong said, “The vendors must be sent to the market so we get enough space for the taxis to operate, we don’t have any taxi station for our cars that is why we have occupied the space of the pedestrians”.
Mr Ernest Kafui, a pedestrian, said he nearly lost his life as a car which lost control while taking a curve, passed on the pavement, destroying goods and putting lives in danger.
Another trader said “the new market now serves as a whole sales joint where they go and pick the goods and sell in the market street as retail”.
This she said was done because not many people are aware of the existence of the new market and also its accessibility.
Mr Agya Sasu, the Taxi Coordinator, said “the taxis park have been here for several years since no better construction have been made for the taxis to use, this is as a result of the council always taking money for the space taken by the vendors which has only continued their stay on the pathway”.
“We are pleading on the Council to do something about the vendors and construct a better station for us to operate,” he added.
BY ANITA ANKRAH
