Petty traders and drivers operating at the Kwame Nkrumah Interchange in Accra yesterday abandoned their brisk business for hours to take part in the Operation clean Your Frontage’ campaign, as they were busily clearing their environment of filth.
Otherwise known as the OCYF, the policy initiated by the Greater Accra Regional
Coordinating Council seeks to, among other objectives, make it obligatory for all individuals and corporate entities to be responsible for the cleaning and greening of their immediate surroundings.
The by-laws to the effect, have been passed and gazetted by the 29 assemblies in the region to enable the lawful implementation of the initiative.
As early as 7: 00 a.m. when the Ghanaian Times visited the place, sanitation officerswere seen assisting the traders and drivers loading garbage into refuse trucksprovided by the municipal waste management department to ensure the success ofthe campaign which has now gained public acceptance.
Traders who used to sell on the pavement were made to vacate to the Odawna market by directive of the Greater Accra Regional Minister, Mr Henry Quartey.
It is recalled that the Odawna market known as the Pedestrian Shopping Mall was destroyed by fire on November 18, 2020 leaving traders with no option than to spill in the streets around the Kwame Nkrumah Interchange.
At the time of visit, traders were still trying to settle into the market with commercial vehicles conducting their businesses at various bus terminals.
A trader, Veronica Tettey said the move was good, though there were a few hitches.
“The challenge is that the market has not been paved after it was ruined by fire,
making the ground dusty which is a threat to our health,” she said, adding that the situation could be worse if it rained.
Another petty trader, SerwaaAma, shared a similar view and added that she knew they could not do their businesses in the street forever; “so moving inside the market was a laudable idea.”
However, she said there was the need for proper stalls to be built for them to conduct their businesses.
In a separate interview with pedestrians, they expressed joy of walking on the pavement without having the fear of being pick-pocketed.
They, however, encouraged the government to be very stringent with the laws so people did not move back to doing business on the pavement.
Earlier, at the “Maame Dokuno-WVIP section of the Kwame Nkrumah Interchange, police fired a warning shot to disperse the protesting traders against their eviction by the OCYF team.
The angry traders in the process, smashed the windscreen of a bulldozer, deployed to demolish some illegal structures compelling the operator to retreat.
The traders, mainly young males, looking visibly agitated, blocked the entrance to the area with wooden kiosks and anything they could lay their hands on to prevent access.
BY CONNIELOVE MAWUTORNYO DZODZEGBE
