The Tamale Metropolitan Assembly has today, Monday, November 17 embarked on a major decongestion exercise in Tamale’s Central Business District to ease traffic congestion and restore order in the area.
This comes less than 24 hours after TV3 aired a story about a failed attempt at decongesting the city in July this year.
Unauthorized lorry parks and stations as well as trading activities were brought to a halt following the second decongestion exercise.
The decongestion exercise which is the second in five months, started as early as 6am with a joint taskforce comprising military and police personnel, city guards, traditional leaders, and assembly staff.
Major areas including the Central Market, Aboabo, and the main taxi station were affected. At the Taxi rank area, some traders resisted eviction by the Taskforce leading to a near clash.
Some of the traders accused the Metro Assembly for not issuing prior notices before embarking on the exercise.
“This is where we get our daily bread. We were not engaged before they embarked on the exercise which is unfair,” one trader said.
“If they want to succeed with this exercise, they should relocate the lorry stations so that we can follow them there because this place is already choked” another trader fumed.
Speaking to 3News after the exercise, Metropolitan Chief Executive of Tamale, Abu Takoro emphasized that the exercise will continue until the city is cleared.
“We are not here to fight anybody, but anyone who fails to obey the decongestion will be made to face the law.
“We don’t want anybody to sit on the bicycle lane, on the streets or under the overpass and so we have to clear everybody including the beggars,” he noted.
The operation, aims to restore order, ease traffic congestion, and enhance sanitation within the city.
Several traders, hawkers, and commercial drivers who failed to comply with the directives had their properties picked up and sent to the Assembly.
