The Tamale Metropolitan Security Committee led by the Chief Executive Officer on Monday (August 1, 2022) evacuated squatters to decongest the central business area of the metropolis.
The taskforce cleared traders who have invaded the two-tier Naa Gbewa interchange.
The Tamale Mayor, Mr. Sule Salifu, told Journalists that, the decongestion exercise was a product of a MESEC meeting held last week after they received several complaints from the road users, market, and the public that, a lot of the people were selling at unauthorized places and also fomenting trouble in the area.
“And MESEC felt it was necessary to convey a meeting to deliberate on it and as a result of the meeting, MESEC agreed to have a collaboration of all the security agencies to contribute personnel to support the assembly taskforce and MESEC to embark on this operation and it has been successful” he added.
The Tamale Chief Executive indicated Chiefs in the metropolis and all other stakeholders were duly consulted about the essence of the exercise, stressing the Overlord of Dagbon, Ya Naa Abukari II was also informed about the way the interchange was being abused.
“The Ya Naa did not mince words to say he did not also support that and that we should do everything possible to clear the people around the interchange and get them a place to relocate” the Mayor emphasized.
According to the Tamale MCE, the assembly had three separate meetings with the traders squatting along the interchange to tell them about the need to relocate to either the Kukuo market or the Kakpagyili market.
Sule Salifu said the assembly would always consult broadly before taking drastic decisions for the development of the metropolis to avoid backlashes.
Meanwhile, some of the traders in an interview with THE CUSTODIAN expressed their frustrations, stating this where they also earn their daily livelihood.
One of the victims, a female trader decried the actions of the assembly would affect them and their families.
Some of the hawkers stated the assembly taskforce takes an amount between GHS30 and GHS50 from them monthly as dues.
