Mayor of Accra, Michael Kpakpo Allotey has announced that the major street decongestion exercise will commence fully in February.
He added that, for now, discussions are ongoing with queen mothers, the Ghana Private Road Transport Union (GPRTU), and the police and Fire Service.
Speaking on Onua Fm, he said grace periods were granted in December due to the festive season, and again in January, to allow traders to voluntarily return to their designated workstations.
He noted that a “significant number of street traders already own containers and allocated spaces in the markets, but they choose not to utilise them due to the perception that business is more profitable on the streets.”
Addressing concerns about vehicle shortages and the recent fare hikes, Mayor Allotey emphasised that “Accra is a highly populated city and that the fare increases are inappropriate.” he said,
“My outfit is working to bring additional buses into the system to help address the current transport situation.”
He further stated that some perpetrators of fare abuses have been arrested and sanctioned by providing free rides to passengers for three days, noting that imprisonment would worsen the existing vehicle shortages.
By Lois Dogbe
